Gone
by veiledndarkness
Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game. Warning: Swearing, Violence, Future Slash
1. Chapter 1

Title: Gone 1/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

_Jack lay on the cold, hard floor, his knees tucked up to his chest. He coughed weakly, his chest rattling in the silence of the room. He licked his dry, cracked lips slowly and looked around the dark space. He heard the heavy footsteps coming down the stairs and shuddered. He tucked his head down to his knees, tensing at the other's approach._

_"Hey!" Jack edged away from the voice. "For fuck's sake," the voice sighed._

_Jack clamped his lips shut, willing the person to go away, anywhere, just not where he was, not there, God, where the hell was Bobby?_

_The voice sighed again, tinged with weariness. "He ain't comin', kid. Get over here and drink this," the unseen person said. There was a dull thud as a bucket was placed on the ground near Jack. The person walked away, more heavy steps on the creaking stairs._

_Jack waited until there was nothing but silence again before lifting his head cautiously. He pulled the bucket closer to his chest and lifted it with shaking hands, taking small sips of the cool water. He pushed the bucket away and curled up, shivering hard._

_"Bobby..." he whispered hoarsely._

xxxxx

Jack answered the knock at the door, grateful to be away from the argument inside. Bobby and Angel were far too distracted to pay attention to something like the doorbell ringing. He sighed and moved off the couch. He pulled the door open only to be hit with an icy snowball. It slammed into his chest and face, a cold slap.

The insult from the boy walking away from him, it cut right through his senses. Before he stopped to think, he grabbed up a snowball of his own and was about to toss it right as the boy turned around, a gun clutched tightly in his hand, trained on him. He stopped dead in his tracks, a look of fear etched on his face.

The gunman took one step closer to him. Jack took one back, scrambling to stay upright in the slippery snow. He opened his mouth to call for help, his voice nothing more than a whisper. Jack watched with growing horror as the gun was pointed at his head, and he faintly heard the man speak to him. He strained his ears as the man came closer.

"Don't fuckin' move," he said, his voice low. Jack glanced back at the house, the sounds of angry yelling still spilling out the door. "Don't bother. You scream, they die," he said. Jack shook his head, willing himself to stay calm.

"C'mere," the man said before roughly grabbing Jack by the shoulders and holding the gun at his side. Jack struggled weakly in the man's grip, his shirt ripping as he moved.

"You deaf?" the man snarled. "Hold the fuck still," he hissed, tossing Jack into the van, the two men inside catching him and holding him down while they tied his hands behind his back. Jack whimpered once, the cold metal biting into his wrists, the memories of being tied up before swarming him. He shuddered helplessly, whispering a litany of 'no's.

The first man slapped his gun against the back of Jack's head, knocking him unconscious. Jack's eyes rolled up into his head and he slumped over onto his side.

xxxxx

Bobby huffed angrily as Jerry yelled at him, his eyes wandering around the room. The hair on the back of his neck stood up just then, a growing sense of unease. He turned slightly to the side and glanced out the window, his heart stopping for a moment when he saw a masked man pull a struggling Jack across the snow covered front yard and throw him into a van.

"Jack!" he yelled, fury sending him into motion. He grabbed a shotgun from the dining room table and ran for the door, aiming and shooting without blinking at the men who came out of other vans, firing at the house and at him.

"Angel!" Bobby barked roughly. "They got him," he yelled, shooting one man, then turning and shooting another in the shoulder. The man went down with a scream of pain.

Angel yanked Sofi by the arm and threw her into the kitchen. "Get down, stay down," he ordered softly. She opened her mouth to yell. Angel kissed her quickly, a hard bruising kiss before getting up and running over beside Bobby, firing his gun steadily.

Jerry leaned against the wall, his eyes wide with panic. Sofi held her hands to her mouth, muffling her sobs as she heard the bullets explode in the house, pieces of wood and glass raining on her.

Bobby held his gun steady on one man, advancing slowly towards him. "You'd best stop right there, you son of a bitch," he snarled softly. The man dropped his gun, his arms in the air.

Bobby stepped up to him and ripped his ski mask off. "Where is he?" he demanded.

The man shook his head, his eyes bulging with fear. "I..." he tried to say, his voice fading.

Bobby gripped him by the neck. "You better fuckin' speak," he growled. A loud pop exploded near Bobby's ear, the bullet hitting the man in his chest.

The man opened his mouth and blood poured out over Bobby's hand. He pulled his hand back in disgust, as the man dropped to the ground, blood leaking from the hole in his chest.

Angel nudged him with his boot. "He dead?" he asked quietly. Bobby nodded. "Almost," he said coldly.

The other shooters stood across the yard, all eyes on Bobby and Angel. He stared at them silently, his gun held tightly in his arms, ready to shoot. They backed up slowly and got into the various vans, driving away quickly.

"What the fuck?" Angel said lowly. "Why they leavin'?"

Bobby felt his fingers go numb. He dropped his gun and walked stiffly back into the house, directly into the bathroom, his eyes dead. Jerry stood behind him, sputtering.

"What happened? What the fuck is going on?" he said. Jerry flinched at the look on Bobby's face when he looked back at him.

"He's gone," Bobby said hoarsely. "He's gone, they took him."

He closed his eyes, tears running unnoticed down his cheeks slowly. "Jackie," he mumbled, his fingers digging painful gashes in his palms, bloody crescents imprinted in his skin.

xxxxx

Jack awoke several hours later. He opened his eyes warily and looked around the dark room. "A basement," he said shakily. "A fuckin' basement." Jack struggled to breathe slowly, his memories clawing at him.

He shivered, curling into a tight ball as light spilled from the doorway. He lifted his head slightly, watching a large man stomp heavily down the stairs. He bit his lip, holding back his fear.

The man came closer. He reached out with one hand and gripped a fistful of Jack's hair, lifting him a few inches of the ground. Jack bit his lip harder, a thin rivulet of blood trickling down his chin as he felt the ripping pain in his scalp. The man smiled crookedly.

"Hush little baby, don't you cry," he crooned, moving his hand back and forth, sending Jack crashing into the wall. He cried out sharply, his head ringing in pain. The man chuckled and dropped Jack, letting him hit the floor.

Jack clutched his head, his vision swimming. He wobbled up onto his knees and edged away from the man, away from his hands, and his curiously blank face. The man blinked and smiled again, his teeth glinting yellow in the sparse light from the doorway.

"Little baby Jackie," he whispered, petting Jack's stinging scalp. "Hush little baby."

Jack shuddered. "Don't touch me," he snapped. The man frowned. Jack felt a moment's panic wash over him. The man yanked Jack close, his sour breath fanning over his face.

"Bad boy," he muttered crossly. He backhanded Jack, sending him flying. He landed in a crumpled heap, his back screaming in pain. The man shook his head slowly and placed a large blanket on the floor. He then left, the stairs creaking under his weight as he went up them. Jack dimly heard the door close, then the sounds of several locks turning.

He glanced at the blanket on the ground, and with one shaking hand, reached out for it. He wrapped himself tightly with the blanket, cradling his sore head. "Bobby," he whispered through numb lips.

xxxxx

Angel stood by the window, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. He half-listened to Jerry trying to explain to Bobby why they couldn't just storm the streets, looking for Victor Sweet.

"...I'm tellin' you Bobby, you can't," Jerry said, frustration heavy in his voice.

"Can't and shouldn't ain't the same," Bobby snarled. He placed another bullet in his gun, eyeing it carefully as he spun the barrel. Jerry slapped his hands down on the table, amidst the guns and bullets that littered the table top.

"This is fuckin' insane," he said evenly. "It's a trap Bobby! You know Sweet's countin' on you to go lookin' for his men, shooting them all up."

Bobby placed a pistol beside his shotgun. He spared Jerry a quick glance. "I won't be," he muttered.

"Then what the hell is all this? How do you get this many guns?" Jerry said. He picked up a hunting rifle. "Where'd this come from?" he asked with a grim look on his face.

Bobby gritted his teeth. "Never fuckin' mind," he said. "The less you know the better."

Jerry shook his head. "You got a goddamn death wish?" he said quietly. "Is that it?"

Angel walked over to Jerry, his eyes dark and unforgiving. "There's a guy outside, by your car, Bobby," he said. "Guy thinks I can't see him."

Bobby smiled then, a horrific grin. "Bring him in then," he said, switching the safety off his gun. Jerry rubbed the side of his head. "This is insane," he repeated.

Bobby grabbed him by the shoulder, pushing him against the wall, his eyes furious. "Either you help us find Jack, or I'll kill you myself," he growled. Jerry struggled in his grip.

"Have you gone around the bend?" Jerry yelled. "I'm your brother!"

Bobby chuckled dryly, nothing more than scraping sound. "And I love you, but Victor's after us because of you. He already got Ma, he sure as fuck ain't getting my Jack."

He let go of Jerry roughly, pulling on his coat and loaded the various weapons into his pockets. "You...you blame me?" Jerry asked, his hands twitching. "You think I caused this?"

Bobby glanced at him. "You got in with the wrong people," he said coolly, adding a pack of matches to one pocket. "Sweet's got it in for us cause of your shit goin' bad."

Jerry shook his head. "I never wanted nothin' to do with Sweet. I thought we talked this shit through, I told you what happened!" he snapped. Bobby glared at him.

Angel came into the room, a guy in a headlock in his arms. "Look what I found," he said.

Bobby gave Jerry a warning look then held the man's chin tightly. "Well, look at this," he said. He pulled his arm back and rammed his fist into the man's face, knocking him unconscious.

Angel hugged him tighter, holding the heavy weight carefully. "We gotta take him somewhere," he said. Bobby nodded. "Get some answers," he agreed.

xxxxxx

"Tell me where he is," Bobby demanded softly.

The man sat on the wooden chair in stony silence, his eyes glittering defiantly. "Tell me," he said again.

The man smirked and Bobby felt a strand of his patience snap. "Tell me!" he yelled, before punching him, taking a moment to glory in the yelp of pain that followed.

"When I ask you a question, you'd better answer quickly," Bobby said next to the man's ear. "What's your name?" he asked, waiting only seconds before viciously slapping him.

"What's your fuckin' name?" he asked again. The man spat at him, grinning through a mouthful of blood.

Bobby glanced up at Angel and nodded. Angel lifted the red container beside him and began splashing it over the man's head and body. The smirk began to falter as he sniffed, the heavy scent of gasoline filling the room.

"What the fuck you doin'?" he muttered, fear in his eyes for the first time.

"Y'see, I don't take too kindly to people not answerin' me," Bobby said, almost conversationally while slowly pulling a pack of matches from his coat pocket.

"Not just cause I want answers, but it's awful rude too," Bobby said. "Now, you're gonna tell me what I want to know or I'm gonna roast your ass," he said, a small grin creeping across his face.

The man looked from Angel to Bobby, his left leg shaking slightly. "I...I can't...I don't know nothin'," he cried.

"Mmhm, there's the problem though. I don't believe you," Bobby said with mock sadness.

He opened the pack of matches and ripped two loose. Sweat beaded over the man's brow.

"Now, what's your name?" Bobby asked. "You know your own name right?" he coaxed.

After a long minute of silence, the man sighed. "My name's Thomas."

"Well Tommy," Bobby said as he flipped the pack over and fingered the edge of the matches. "Something tells me that you know where Jack is."

Thomas's eyes darted back and forth between Angel who lifted the gas can again slightly and at Bobby who was flicking the head of the matches with his thumbnail, looking bored.

"I don't know any Jack," he said nervously. Bobby nodded at Angel, who then began pouring more gasoline over Thomas.

Bobby took one step closer to the chair. "I'm running out of patience Tommy," he warned. "I'm sure you've heard about my bad little habit of settin' shit on fire when I'm mad."

Thomas gulped softly. He eyed the matches before shaking his head. "I can't tell you anything," he said, his voice trembling.

Bobby lit one of the matches, the scratch against the pack deafening in the room. He held it close to Thomas's face. "Don't think I won't do it, asshole," he said quietly.

"You don't start talkin' and what we do to you will be twice as painful as what Sweet would do," Angel said close to his other ear.

Thomas felt his heart seize. He gasped shakily. "Fuck, don't do this man," he pleaded.

"Tell me where Jack is and I won't," Bobby said, waving the matches closer to his face.

"I don't know much, I swear. He's at Sweet's house, they got him there," Thomas babbled.

Bobby frowned. "Why? Why Jack?" he asked.

Thomas squirmed in the seat, the gasoline irritating his skin. "Shit, I don't know," he mumbled. He yelped in pain as Bobby slapped him again, blood spurting from his mouth.

"You know something. Why else would you have been staking out the house? Huh?" he said sarcastically. "Don't play dumb with me, fucker or you'll regret it."

"He said somethin' about leverage. That's all I know, I swear!" Thomas said, with panic in his voice as the look on Bobby's face darkened. He tried to stand up, to run, only to have Angel shove him back down in his chair, his grip like iron.

Bobby blew out the matches and tossed them at his feet. "Thanks for your help, Tommy," he said with a smirk. He cocked his head at Angel as he turned around. Thomas breathed out a sigh of relief.

"Thomas?" Bobby called. He met his gaze, his heart speeding up as Bobby pulled a gun from the waistband of his jeans.

"Oh god, you said if I told you, you wouldn't burn me!" Thomas yelled, tears in his eyes.

"True," said Bobby, a twisted smile on his face. "I never said anything about a gun though."

With that, he pulled the trigger and watched with some satisfaction as the bullet exploded into Thomas's chest, his death instant.

xxxxx

Jack huddled in the blanket, swallowing dryly, his throat parched and sore. He stared up at the ceiling, counting the cracks in the walls. Time passed slowly. He sang softly until his throat hurt, whispering the words, anything to keep his mind occupied.

He heard the heavy footsteps on the stairs and cringed. The man was back. He held still, his eyes wide and fearful. The man slowly walked over to him and prodded him with one large, meaty finger.

"Little baby Jackie," he said softly. Jack bit his lip, opening the dried cut on his lower lip, a drop of blood appearing.

The man sighed huskily and sat down on the ground. Jack stared up at him. The man was enormous, a foot taller than Jack. He opened the bag that he had brought with him, laying several knives on the ground, and one large pistol. Jack inhaled sharply, fear making him tremble.

"Let me go," he asked quietly, ready to beg if he had to. The man shook his head silently.

Jack felt his stomach twist as the man gripped his shirt and neatly sliced it off him, his skin prickling in the cold air. "Don't do this to me," he mumbled, his heartbeat roaring in his ears.

The man slid the cool blade over Jack's skin, tracing the sharp edge over his throat. Jack swallowed reflexively, his eyes burning with unshed tears. "P-please," he said, closing his eyes.

The blade ran over his chest, making small cuts and nicks along the way. Jack gasped, a strangled sob as the knife pushed inwards, his blood seeping from the shallow cut. He opened one eye, groaning as he saw the excited look in the man's eyes. The man licked the blade clean of his blood and pointed it at Jack's stomach.

Jack began to hyperventilate, thrashing wildly. "Don't, God, don't fuckin' touch me!" he screamed.

The door to the basement opened and more light spilled into the room. Jack wrapped himself into a tight ball, rocking fast. Another man stood before him, his arms waving as he spoke.

Jack struggled to understand what he was saying. He felt faint, dizzy as he tried to listen.

"The fuck did I tell you?" the voice said. "Check on him, not fuckin' carve him!"

Jack blinked at the hazy figure now in front of him. "Bobby," he murmured softly.

The figure sighed in disgust. "He ain't coming," the voice spat. Jack shook his head, the room going darker.

"He will," Jack said, swaying as he fell back down to the ground. "Please God..."

xxxxx


	2. Chapter 2

Title: Gone 2/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Movie: Four Brothers

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxxx

Bobby stood by the window of Jack's room, his arms crossed tightly over his chest. Angel sat down on the edge of the bed and sighed softly. "Jerry's gone on home," he said.

Bobby grunted lowly, his face turned away from Angel. The darkness of the room shrouded them, a heavy silence in the air. Bobby rested his head to the cool windowpanes, his eyes landing on the lower sectioned roof ledge where he and Jack had escaped to many times over the years, their spot, their refuge.

"You gotta eat sometime, Bobby," Angel said after several minutes of silence.

Bobby glanced back at him over his shoulder, his lips thinned into a tight line. "Not hungry," he said.

Angel looked at him, his eyes solemn. "You're no good to Jackie if you don't got the strength to hold your gun up," he said calmly. "Eat."

"Stop fuckin' nagging me, Angel," Bobby snapped, though his anger was only half-hearted. He turned his head to face the window again, his shoulders tense. "He's out there. He's out there, an' someone's got him. If they..." he trailed off, swallowing hard. "If they hurt him..."

Angel stood and placed a tentative hand on Bobby's shoulder. When Bobby didn't shrug him off, he squeezed lightly. "We gonna find him," he vowed. "We'll bring him back and every last one of those fuckers is gonna be sorry they even thought of takin' him."

Bobby closed his eyes, guilt gnawing on his conscience. "Shoulda been watchin' him," he whispered. "I shoulda never let him leave that room."

"Don't...Don't do that to yourself, Bobby," Angel said gruffly. "Downstairs now, Sofi made some pasta stuff."

Bobby snorted and chuckled dryly. "She put the poison on my plate?" he asked as he allowed Angel to steer him away from the window. Angel rolled his eyes. "You gotta give that shit up sometime," he said. "We'd be eatin' a lotta fucking take-out if she wasn't around."

"The horror," Bobby drawled. He walked downstairs, his insides churning with worry.

xxxxx

Jack lay on his side, shivering under the large, musty smelling blanket. One of the men from upstairs, still wearing a ski mask, brought him a bucket of water and a small container some hours later. He put both down near Jack silently, pulling the lid of the container as he eyed him.

"Hey," he said, nudging Jack with his foot. "Wake the fuck up, kid."

Jack tugged the blanket away from his face, a faint scowl on his face. "M'not a fuckin' kid," he grumbled.

The man snorted and pushed the container at him. "Y'are to me," he said. "Eat."

Jack looked at the food and then took the lukewarm container from him. "T-Thanks," he said softly.

The man nodded and pushed the bucket of water closer. "S'all you're gonna get for now, so you best eat it all," he said. He paced by the far wall, looking out the small window that was placed up near the ceiling.

"Why bother feedin' me then?" Jack asked between mouthfuls of the lumpy potatoes. He scooped them up with two fingers, uncaring of the dirt coating his skin. He truly was grateful for any chance to eat.

The man looked back at him, his eyes glittering in the dim light. "What?" he said sharply.

Jack swallowed quickly and licked his lips, his nerves jangling. "I...um...it's just, why feed me if you're just gonna...kill me?" he managed to ask.

"You don't wanna be fed?" the man snapped. Jack bit his lip, and clutched the container closer to his body, suddenly fearful of losing his meager food.

"I...sorry," he said, his eyes wide. The man resumed pacing. "Look, don't question it, alright?" he said. "I get my orders, I follow them. Eat."

Jack ate the rest of the potatoes slowly, and then the thin strips of turkey. He put the empty container down and looked over at the bucket of water. "Um..s'cuse me?" he said softly.

The man looked at him. "What now?" he asked impatiently.

Jack nodded to the bucket of water. "Can I have some?" he asked. The man sighed, frustration seeping through. "Oh for the love of..." he rubbed his neck.

Jack looked at the water and then at the floor. "Shit...right," he said. "Uh, may I?" he corrected himself.

The man looked at him. "Yes! I brought it down, didn't I?" he said. "Jesus fucking Christ...What's with you?"

Jack swallowed his reflexive comment and lifted the bucket. He took several small sips of the cool water before putting it back down. He curled up in a ball again with the blanket wrapped tightly around his body.

"Thank you," he said. The man shook his head and rubbed his forehead through the ski mask. "Yeah..." he said uncomfortably. He grabbed the container and snapped the lid back on, leaving the room then.

Jack shivered hard in the cold room, whispering feverish prayers into the blanket.

xxxxx

Jerry sat on the couch, watching Angel and Bobby argue over a large selection of weapons. "So, what're you tellin' me, is that the guy claimed that Jack's in Victor Sweet's house?" he said.

Bobby nodded and finished filling the bullets into one gun chamber. He clicked it back into place and set it down on the table. "Good ol' Tommy didn't know much," he said. "But he gave us somethin' to start on."

Angel checked one gun, approval on his face at the style of the silencer. Jerry leaned forward and looked at the weapons uneasily. "Where'd y'all put the body?' he asked.

Bobby spared Jerry a quick glance. "In your backyard," he said flatly. "Where the fuck else, yeah?"

Angel chuckled softly and picked up the hunting rifle. "You think this shit is funny?!" Jerry demanded.

"The look on your face was," Angel said as he examined the rifle.

"Look, the less you know, the better you are, Jerry," Bobby said. "How 'bout you act like you're worried about Jack, more than what're we're doin' to get him back, huh? How 'bout that?"

"I am worried about Jack," Jerry said. "You got some fucking nerve actin' like I don't."

Bobby smiled slowly and lifted one gun off the table. "I tell you what," he said. "You give me the contacts that deal with Sweet, and I'll stop acting like I don't wanna punch the shit outta you right now."

"I don't...I can't even believe this shit," Jerry said. "You know this isn't my fault, Bobby. Victor Sweet does what he damn well wants, and there ain't nobody in this town who's gonna turn on him cause you got a vendetta."

"Not your fault," Bobby mocked him in a high voice. "Bullshit, you may not have started this, but Victor Sweet has your baby brother right now, Jerry! What's happenin' to Jack, huh? They beating him? Is he already dead or does he just fucking wish he was?!" he yelled, his face flushed with rage. "Stop thinkin' about yourself and think about him!"

"I am!" Jerry said angrily. "I gotta a family of my own, Bobby, I gotta think of keepin' them safe too."

Bobby stood up and stuffed a gun in his waistband. "Yeah? When Victor comes collectin' and takes that pretty wife of yours, or hey, maybe one of your girls, then is it a priority, Jerry? When he's fuckin' the shit outta your Camille in front of your kids? You think he's gonna stop with Jack?"

Angel stood then, his expression stony. "Alright, enough, Bobby," he said loudly. Jerry blinked back tears, one hand balled into a fist.

Bobby nodded and picked up his coat. He tugged a hat down over his hair and grabbed a second gun to join the first in his waistband. "Yeah, things look a whole lot different when it's someone who's everything to you, right Jerry?" he said.

"If Jack meant so much to you, why the fuck did you stay away so long?" Jerry said as he stood.

"I don't gotta explain nothin' to you," Bobby said, his eyes flickering darkly, pain deep in them.

"Enough of this shit," Angel said. "Get us the list of contacts, Jerry. We got some stuff to do for now."

Jerry gritted his teeth and nodded. "Yeah," he said. Angel nodded as well. "Let's go," he said to Bobby as they left the room, Jerry standing next to the mass of guns, his head in his hands.

xxxxx

Bobby lit a cigarette in the car as he steered with one hand. He inhaled deeply on the cigarette, his eyes narrowed as he drove. Angel looked out the window, his jaw set.

"I ain't apologizing, if that's what you're thinking," Bobby said, blowing a stream of smoke from his mouth out the window beside him.

Angel made a soft sound, his lips twitching. "Don't expect anythin' better outta Bobby Mercer," he said.

Bobby snorted and flicked the ash from his cigarette. "He needs to know that this ain't gonna go sunny up just cause he did the 'right' thing," he said. "He may not have done business with Sweet, but now we're all payin' for what's happened."

Angel nodded silently. "Where to first?" he asked. Bobby took another long drag from his cigarette. "That guy me an' Jack talked to, that city official fucker, Douglas. He said it was Victor Sweet that ordered Jerry shut down. I figure that fat, piece of shit oughta know where Sweet goes during the day."

"That's your plan?" Angel asked him. Bobby shot him an irritated look. "You got somethin' better?" he said.

"What about his house?" Angel said. "We get that, show on up and what?"

"We're not gonna show up and ring his fucking doorbell," Bobby said impatiently. He finished his cigarette in three quick puffs. He flicked it out the window and blew a stream of smoke out steadily. "I wanna know where he is durin' the day, I wanna know who's keepin' an eye out for Jack."

"You think Douglas'll talk?" Angel asked. Bobby smiled, cold delight on his face.

"Yeah, he'll talk alright," he said. "He talked last time too."

xxxxx

Bobby leaned back against the car, his face set in a mask of concentration. "He's fuckin' dead?" he said, the urge to laugh hysterically bubbling up in his chest. "He's fuckin' dead, of course, shit why wouldn't he be?"

Angel looked around the area nearby. "We gotta get the address from Jerry, check out his place," he said.

"I wish I could say I'm surprised that Sweet wasted that sack of shit," Bobby mused darkly. "One less councilman in his pocket now. Won't be long before he's got some other sorry ass grovelin' to him."

He stood up straight and got in his car. "I need those contacts," he said. "The longer we wait, the worse off Jack's gonna be."

Angel got in as well, thinking fast. "We go now and check the place, we might see what kinda security he's running," he said.

Bobby nodded as he started the engine. He closed his eyes for a moment and struggled with the images his mind produced. "Let's go," he said raggedly.

xxxxx

Jack slept on and off, slipping in and out of consciousness as he did so. The large man came down and sat in front of Jack, singing to himself. He pulled Jack onto his lap, treating him much like a living doll. Jack lay perfectly still on his lap, his chest hitching in fright. The man smiled and ran his hand over Jack's hair, singing as he did so.

"Pretty baby Jackie, no cry now," he said, his thick fingers rubbing over Jack's cheek.

Jack closed his eyes, trembling harder then. "Be good, baby boy," the man cooed, his hand running over Jack's bare chest, marveling over the ink on his skin. "Pretty..."

The door opened at the top of the stairs, muted light spilling in. "Put him down!" a voice said. Jack lifted his head, his heart hammering in his chest. "Bobby?" he whispered.

The large man frowned and lifted Jack off his lap. "Mine," he said. The man from before, his ski mask firmly in place, sighed. "No, he's not yours," he said. "Go upstairs now, go on! Go get your lunch."

Jack hit the ground with a thud as the large man dropped him, excitedly hurrying up the stairs. He clutched his head and whimpered, shaking from the cold air. The smaller man moved over to him, his eyes dark. Jack looked up and cried out, skittering away from him.

"No...Fuck, just leave me alone if you're not gonna kill me," he shouted, reaching for the blanket. The man pushed another small container at Jack silently.

"Shut up and eat," he said coldly. "You're lucky I'm even feeding you."

"Lucky?" Jack spat furiously. "I'm lucky? You don't know shit about me! I get fucking kidnapped from my house, dragged here, practically molested by Dudley the fucking giant, and I'm s'posed to be grateful? Fuck you!" he screamed, shaking with rage.

The man crossed the room and slapped his face hard, sending Jack crashing to the ground. "Yeah?" he said, pushing one foot down hard on Jack's bare chest. "How 'bout I bring you upstairs and you can be passed around to the other guys? You got a real pretty mouth there, real soft lips, I'm sure you've sucked cock before."

Jack's face turned bright red, tears of shame leaking from his eyes. "Fuck you," he said weakly.

The man sneered and pushed him down harder. "I'm doing you as serious favor right now by keeping you down here," he said. "Unless you wanna be Sweet's new fucktoy, you'd better start showin' a little respect."

Jack closed his eyes, choked sobs catching in his throat. "M'sorry," he pleaded, caught in a memory. "I'll be good...I'll be good." He shuddered, relaxing under the man's grip.

He stepped off of Jack's chest, sighing. "Relax Kid, I ain't gonna bring you up there," he said.

Jack rolled onto his side, shaking hard. "Why am I even here?" he whispered.

"Leverage," the man said shortly. "Eat," he added, pushing the container at him.

Jack took it with mumbled thanks and ate quickly, his head still ringing with pain. The man watched him eat before offering him another blanket. Jack looked up at him, blinking back more tears.

"This one's thicker, take it," he said. Jack nodded and curled up once more, his jeans filthy but at least helping to keep his legs warm. He tucked the blankets under his chin, watching the man.

"I...I can, if you want," he said in a small voice.

The man blinked and scowled. "Can what?" he asked, stepping closer to Jack.

"T-Thank you properly," Jack said. He lowered his eyes to the floor, his pink tongue darting out to moisten his dry lips. "I...Its fine."

The man stared at him. "What..." he started to say. Realization dawned on him. He shook his head tiredly. "No, fuck's sake, go lay down already."

Jack looked distraught. "Are you sure?" he asked. "Cause I can, and...And I don't mind, honest."

"No!" the man shouted, his mouth curling in disgust. "Christ, kid. If that's what I wanted, I'd go find some whore to do it for me. Lie down and shut up."

Jack did so, the new blanket warming him slightly. He closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep again, his head and cheek throbbing with pain every now and then.

xxxxx


	3. Chapter 3

Title: Gone 3/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

Bobby ripped open the pack of his cigarettes and shook one out, lighting it with quick fingers. Angel eyed him silently and then shook his head. "You never used to smoke this much," he said.

Bobby eyed him and inhaled hard on the cigarette. "Pardon me for bein' stressed," he drawled.

Angel snorted lowly and looked out the window. "Doesn't seem like much," he said as he looked at the house near them. "No one around." He frowned and looked back at Bobby.

"We come back at night, there's a chance more people'll be around," Bobby mused aloud, smoking furiously. He flicked the ash of his cigarette out the window. "We go now, an' someone might see us, no real cover, nothin' to hide behind."

Angel narrowed his eyes and looked around the property again. "He's got lotta trees by one fence, and some bushes near the brick," he murmured. "We go slowly, an' we might see somethin'."

"We're wingin' it," Bobby said. He stubbed his cigarette butt out and blew out a quick breath. "Let's go, fuck this waitin' around bullshit."

Angel brushed his hand over his gun, tucked securely into the waist of his jeans. Bobby came around and followed him up the driveway, both watching cautiously as they did so. Angel pushed Bobby back against the trees near the fence, both of them slipping out of view.

A woman and several children left the house, the woman talking loudly on her cell while the kids argued over who'd get the window seat in the car. They piled into the luxury car and left a few minutes later.

Bobby let out a breath that he'd been holding, his eyes dark as he watched them leave. Angel gestured to him and they continued on to the house. They made their way over to the side of the house and crouched near the bushes.

"Can't just bust in," Bobby whispered. "Sweet'll have a security alarm for sure."

Angel nodded and moved further along the wall. "But he might be dumb 'nough to leave a window open," he muttered.

Bobby smiled grimly. "There any basement windows?" he asked. Angel nodded slowly.

"Right here," he said. He brushed the snow away from the small window and peered inside.

"See anything?" Bobby asked impatiently. Angel shook his head. "Nah," he said. "Just a couple of tables, chairs n'shit. Drinkin' bar too."

Bobby looked up at the house, scowling. "Think they got him upstairs?" he asked.

"Might," Angel said. He got up and moved closer to the back of the house, peering in each window. "I don't know. Somethin' don't seem right," he said finally.

"What?" Bobby asked, frowning. Angel looked at him. "Sweet's gotta know that we'd come here lookin' for Jack," he said. "So why wouldn't he keep extra guns on hand?"

Bobby tensed, the hairs on the back of his neck standing up again. "The place isn't empty," he said softly. "They're waitin' for us to bust on in."

Angel backed away from the side door, his movements slow and carefully timed. Bobby palmed his gun, flicking the safety off. A loud popping sound burst into the air, breaking the sudden silence.

Bobby moved back behind the trees, moving on pure reflex. He aimed his gun, spotting the man who'd fired at him from the upstairs window. "Motherfucker's upstairs," he mouthed to Angel.

Bobby pulled the trigger, smirking when the man cried out in surprise, his hand clasped to his shoulder. "One," Bobby whispered. Bullets flew, Angel and Bobby ducking them, firing back as they ran for the car.

Angel swore, a bullet narrowly missing the side of his head. "Fuck!" he grunted. Bobby turned back, taking down another shooter. "Two," he murmured. Angel slid into the car and fired a quick round, breaking the front windows of the house.

"Drive! The fuck are you waitin' for?!" he snapped to Bobby.

Bobby slid into the car and slammed his foot on the gas, a smirk tugging his lips again. The gunfire echoed in the air as they drove away, a few birds scattering into the afternoon sky.

xxx

"I told you! Didn't I tell you this would happen?" Jerry said angrily. Bobby paced the length of the living room, ignoring him. Angel sat on the chair, deep in thought.

"It was a half-hearted set-up," Bobby muttered. "They weren't even tryin' to kill us!"

Angel looked over at Bobby. "The fuck kinda game is Sweet playing?" he said. "If he wanted to kill you or me, he woulda had a golden opportunity today. He knew we'd come by and try to find Jack."

"This is just part of this," Bobby said, pacing faster. "He's breakin' us down, tryin' to fuck with us, an' we're letting him!"

Angel looked over the list of contacts from Jerry while Bobby mumbled to himself. Jerry watched the pair of them silently.

Bobby stopped abruptly. "Jerry," he said, moving in front of him. "Victor Sweet owns more than one property?"

Jerry shrugged slightly. "He might," he said. "Sweet's all over this city. The man could have half a dozen houses for all we know."

A light entered Bobby's eyes. "We need the addresses of any homes he's got," he said.

Jerry shook his head. "Hold up," he said. "How do you even know he's got Jack in his house? It could be anyone's house or downtown or even a damned warehouse!"

Bobby grabbed the nearest glass cup and whipped it at the wall. "Don't you think I know that?!" he shouted, panting hard. "You really think I don't know that? Fuck you, Jerry! Fuck you and your fuckin' attitude and all this shit!"

Angel tapped the paper with one finger. "Sweet's not gonna keep him in no warehouse," he said calmly, as if Bobby wasn't shouting next to him. "That's too easy and Sweet's one cocky son of a bitch. He'll have him in one of his houses, that's all part of this; watch us fall apart while lookin'."

Jerry rubbed the sides of his forehead wearily. "We really gonna let someone like Sweet get the best of us?" he said. "We oughta cut the money with him. He's a business man, he'll deal that way."

"You wanna pay for your baby brother?" Bobby yelled. "Are you outta your godamned mind?" Jerry stood up, glaring at Bobby. "I don't hear nothing that makes sense comin' outta you," he said heatedly.

Bobby sneered at him. "Ok, so we crawl on over to Sweet, bag of money and all. 'Please Mr. Sweet, here's some money, can we have our brother back now, pretty please'," he mocked. "Throwin' money at Sweet's the worst thing you can do!"

Angel stood up then, standing between Bobby and Jerry. "Bobby's right," he said. "Sweet'll take the money and shoot you anyway. We need somethin' secure, way to make sure he'll take the bait."

Jerry nodded slowly. Bobby huffed out an impatient breath. "All this plannin' and maybe Jack's already dead, you guys thinkin' of that?" he said.

"Don't think on that, we gotta hammer this shit out," Angel said, holding the paper up again.

xxx

Jack watched the man pacing in front of him again, the thick blanket held as tight as possible to his body. "How much longer are you planning on keeping me here?" Jack whispered.

The man glanced at him and shook his head. "I don't know shit, kid," he said. "I'm just following orders. Waitin'...always fuckin' waiting."

"Oh," Jack murmured. The man looked at him closely. "How come you ain't beggin' me to let you go, and all that shit?" he asked.

"Would it help me if I did?" Jack asked in a dull and hollow voice.

"No," the man said. Jack blinked tiredly. "That's why," he said. "What's the point?"

"So you just give up and lie down, waitin' for death?" the man said incredulously.

Jack shrugged. "It doesn't matter," he mumbled. "You don't know nothin' about me. If you did, well, maybe then you'd understand. Bobby's comin' for me."

"If he does, he's stupider than Sweet hopes," the man said dryly. Jack chuckled softly, his dry lips cracking painfully.

"What?" the man demanded. "What's so funny?" Jack eyed him. "You don't know shit about Bobby, either?" he said. "You new in town or somethin'?"

"I know he's gonna fall for this, I know Sweet wants him dead and usin' you is gonna get Sweet what he wants," the man said irritably.

"Never cross Bobby, that's all I can tell ya," Jack said, a look of longing in his eyes. "He's not gonna talk, not gonna negotiate, and if he finds you here when he comes for me, you're gonna die too."

"Fuck you!" the man shouted. "Fuckin' cocky, smart ass punk!"

Jack closed his eyes, his body braced for the impact of a fist. He cracked an eye open, the man a few feet for him. "Truth hurts, huh?" he whispered. "Bobby'll come for me. He loves me, and I know he's comin'. Nothin' you say'll make me stop believing that."

"Yeah, you hold onto that hope, kid," the man said coldly. "Sweet's just bidin' his time. He won't think nothin' of killing you or keeping you all for himself. And he's gonna have Bobby killed, you wait an' see."

Jack smirked slightly. "He'll come," he said. The man looked at him speculatively. "Somethin' more between you two, that why you're so sure?" he asked.

Jack's eyes widened then, a flicker of something, a look of pain to his face. "Shut up," he whispered.

"You sick little fucker!" the man swore. "That's so fuckin' wrong, man, he's your brother!"

Jack swallowed over the lump in his throat. "We're adopted," he said, his voice trembling. "It's not the same, no blood ties." The man's mouth twisted in disgust. "He fuck you yet?" he asked.

Jack stayed silent, his eyes shining with unshed tears. "Ah, but you want him to, is that it?" the man said. "Wanting to be fucked by his older brother, God, the two of you are so fuckin' disgusting!"

"Shut up! Shut up!" Jack shouted, curling up tighter. "Just shut up!"

"Wait'll Sweet hears this," the man said. Jack closed his eyes, a few tears leaking. "You don't know nothin'!" he whispered fiercely.

"You ever tell your Momma that you wanted to be fucked by him? You jerk off, thinkin' about him?" the man taunted Jack.

Jack hung his head, his cheeks burning in shame. The man shook his head and resumed pacing. "Unreal," he said. Jack sniffled softly. "There's nothin' wrong with it," he whispered.

The man looked at him, a glimmer of pity in his eyes for a brief moment. "You really are fucked up, kid," he murmured.

Jack pressed his hands to his ears as he struggled not to cry. "He loves me," he whispered. "That's all that matters."

The man leaned against one concrete wall. "Look, I..." he blew out a breath. "Fuck, ok, I'm sorry. I just...Ya caught me off guard, y'know? You never expect to hear somethin' like that."

Jack looked at him then, his eyes blazing with fury. "Fuck you and your shitty apology," he snarled. "I don't gotta explain myself to you!"

The man blinked, surprised by the sudden change of emotions. "Settle down!" he snapped. Jack retreated into the blankets and turned his back to him. "Leave me alone," he mumbled.

xxx

Jerry walked in the door and sighed. Bobby looked over at him, fidgeting with his gun. "Well?" Bobby said, tucking the gun in his jeans.

"Evans' is gonna call Sweet an' set this up," he said. "He'll call me once it's arranged."

Bobby loaded up a second gun. "When?" he demanded. Jerry shrugged. "I don't know, soon as he knows," he said. "I trust Evans, he'll do this right."

Bobby grunted and put the gun down, his fingers trembling. "Where's Angel?" Jerry asked, looking around. Bobby made a disgusted face. "Upstairs with Loco Ono," he drawled.

Jerry chuckled softly. "You really hate that girl, that much?" he said.

Bobby shuddered. "Everything 'bout her," he said. "She's bitchy, an' loud, and screechy, and she tries to control Angel. No good comes from broads like her."

"Angel loves her, he must otherwise he'd never put up with all that," Jerry said. Bobby snorted. "He's not in love with her," he said. "His dick, sure, but I don't see him ending up with her."

"You just don't want her in the family," Jerry said. Bobby rolled his eyes. "Can ya fuckin' well blame me?" he said.

"He loves her, Bobby, y'all just have to accept that," Jerry said. Bobby shook his head and walked into the kitchen. He opened the fridge and pulled a beer out, drinking half of it in one long gulp.

"I don't gotta accept shit," he said. "Soon as we get Jack back and Victor's buried under some ice, I'm outta here."

Jerry watched him, his mouth curved into a sad smile. "Leavin' again already?" he asked.

Bobby glared at him. "Don't give me none of that shit," he said. "I had enough of it from Ma, an' I don't need it from you now. I gotta work and staying around here isn't an option, got it?"

"You could find work here," Jerry said. Bobby leaned against the counter. "Why do you care so much?" he asked. "I go wherever I can find work."

"What about Jack?" Jerry asked. Bobby barely bit back a flinch. "What about him?" he snapped.

Jerry looked at him, understanding dawning in his eyes. "You stay away 'cause of Jackie?" he said.

Bobby looked at his beer bottle. "No," he said softly. "But you avoid him," Jerry said. "When was the last time you came an' stayed awhile? The last time you even saw Jack?"

"I ain't discussin' this with you," Bobby said quickly. He drained the last of his beer and wiped his mouth with the back of his hand.

"What the hell happened between you two?" Jerry asked. "You used t'be so close. Jackie was your shadow, man"

"Things change," Bobby said harshly. "He's no better, ok? Fuckin' ran off to New York, no warning, no good bye! Ma called me, worried sick. Like I knew where he was an' why he left."

"He left after you last time," Jerry said. "Every damn time you ran outta here, Jack was crushed, did ya know that?"

Bobby turned away from Jerry, his eyes dark with pain. "I did it for him, I was protectin' him," he whispered.

"Protectin' him? From what?" Jerry said, bewildered. "You didn't have to deal with him; he was inconsolable the first time you left and it only got worse each time. You never stopped to think about how it was affectin' him."

"I was protecting him from me!" Bobby yelled. "Ok?! From me!"

Jerry stared at him. "What?" he said. Bobby threw his bottle in the garbage.

"Nothin', just forget I said anything," he snarled. "Oh no, you don't," Jerry said, grabbing Bobby's shoulder to hold him in place.

Bobby pulled away from him. "No, Jerry! Back the fuck off right now!" he growled.

"Somethin' happened between the two of you, didn't it?" Jerry demanded.

Bobby's face paled. "No!" he said, taking a step back from Jerry, shaking his head.

"Bobby...For fuck's sake...What's wrong with you?" Jerry said.

"Nothing happened," Bobby said sharply. "I made sure nothing happened!"

Jerry frowned slightly. Bobby sighed and covered his face for a moment, his eyes weary and sad. "I stayed away cause I had to. He...I love him, Jerry."

"So?" Jerry said. "I know, you love us all." Bobby laughed without humor.

"No, I love him," Bobby repeated. "In a way I shouldn't, ok? So I left. I had to."

Jerry blinked slowly, Bobby's words sinking in. "You...Oh..." he said.

Bobby nodded and laughed bitterly. "Yeah, exactly," he said, brushing past him.

"W-Where you goin'?" Jerry asked, scrambling for words.

"I'll be back," was Bobby's reply, the door slamming behind him.

"Fuck..." Jerry whispered softly.

xxx


	4. Chapter 4

Title: Gone 4/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

Jack blinked slowly in the dim light, his limbs aching dully from the persistent cold. He shuddered and curled up tightly, his chest hitching as he coughed hard, the sound wet and thick. The door at the top of the stairs opened, more shadowed light pouring in.

He felt the now familiar flare of hope spark and then fade as the heavy footsteps revealed the hooded man and the large giant of a man that Jack had nicknamed Dudley, and not Bobby as he'd prayed it would be.

"You awake, kid?" the man asked him. Jack peered up at him wearily. "Yeah," he whispered.

Dudley loomed over Jack, a wide grin splitting his oddly shaped face. "Pretty Jackie," he cooed. The other man slapped him upside the head, scowling. "Knock it off," he growled.

Jack hid a smile. The movement had reminded him of all the times Bobby had done that to him. Dudley pouted and backed away from him. He sat down on the floor, drawing invisible designs on the concrete with one meaty finger.

"He doesn't mean t'hurt you," the man said. Jack eyed him warily.

"Honest, he's like a big kid," the man said, standing by the window. "Kinda like an overgrown five year old, y'know?" Jack snorted softly and pulled the blanket closer to his chest.

"Yeah, cause every five year old loves playin' with knives," he muttered, his fingers moving over the slowly healing cuts Dudley had left on him.

The man looked over at him. "Shut your fuckin' mouth," he snapped. Jack flinched reflexively and curled up again. "Sorry," he offered. The man grunted and looked away, leaning against the wall near the high window.

Jack shivered every so often, struggling to keep his coughs to a minimum. Dudley shuffled over to him and lifted him up by his shoulders. "Hey!" Jack yelped, squirming in his grip. "Fuck! Let go of me!"

Dudley placed him on his lap and rearranged the blanket to cover Jack thoroughly. Jack kicked his legs, fighting his grip. "For fuck's sake!" he shouted. The other man came over, nudging Dudley.

"Put 'im down," he ordered him. Dudley shook his head. "Jackie's cold. He gonna get sick," he said simply. Jack covered his face, breathing hard. "Don't let him touch me," he pleaded shamelessly.

Dudley rocked him slowly, humming under his breath. "I said, put him down," the man ordered. "Nope, nope," Dudley crooned. Jack held still, tears stinging his eyes. As much as he wanted to be away from them, Dudley was warm, very warm.

The combined heat from Dudley and the blanket made Jack feel drowsy, his shivers fading away. The man eyed him, glimmers of pity for him again. Jack met his gaze, the unspoken words between them. The man sighed and looked at the ground, avoiding the pleas in Jack's eyes.

Jack closed his eyes, a tear slipping down his cheek.

xx

Bobby sat up abruptly, his chest clenching. He reached for his tumbler with shaking fingers and downed the shot, the whiskey burning down his throat the whole way. He grimaced and pushed the bottle away, sighing.

He hadn't meant to say anything, to ever let anyone know the truth. Bobby closed his eyes, pangs of longing for Jack, burning hotter then the drinks he'd consumed. The look on Jerry's face...Bobby sighed again, rubbing one hand over his forehead.

It hadn't been disgust, he supposed. More surprised than anything else, though Bobby was somewhat amused by his surprise. Ma had always known, and one drunken night, when he'd stumbled into the house, she'd been sitting up, knitting calmly as if it weren't 1 am, and he wasn't bombed out of his mind. One look from her, and he'd spilled his guts to her, told her everything before he could stop himself, the words pouring out faster and faster.

When he'd finished, tears threatening to fall and the sickening knowledge that this might be what would surely broke the camel's back in regards to how much Evelyn would put up with from him, she'd put her needles down and hugged him. Bobby had sat on the couch, stunned and unable to process the words that she was whispering to him.

The words began to pierce through his drunken fog, calm reassurances that she loved him still, that she understood, and that he had nothing to be ashamed of. Bobby opened his eyes and poured another shot of the whiskey, downing it rapidly.

Maybe she hadn't been disgusted with him, but still, Bobby had hidden everything. Denied the lust, denied the love. She wasn't disgusted, but he sure as fuck was. Little Jackie, his shadow, copying him all the time, loyalty and trust in his wide eyes, how could he let himself think like that? Bobby choked back a bitter laugh.

It happened though, he mused. One day he'd stopped looking at Jack like he was his youngest brother, someone who needed Bobby to protect from all the horrid shit that filled the city around them. That was when he'd realized just how far he'd gone, that his over-protectiveness wasn't strictly to do with Jack's age, but jealousy, pure and simple.

He couldn't bear the thought of someone touching Jack, if it wasn't him. And that was the moment, the bolt of realization. He'd fled in the middle of the night, like the fuckin' coward he'd never wanted to be. Three months before Ma's phone calls made him feel guilty enough to come back home.

And Jack had thrown himself at him, clinging to him desperately, all scruffy hair and long, gangly limbs, pleading with him never to leave again. Bobby had lied through his teeth and breathed him in, inhaling his scent greedily. He never wanted to let go, never hurt him, he hadn't meant to.

Bobby poured another shot and fingered the edge of the glass. Jack was...everything to him. He'd forced himself to come back the last time, Evelyn's increasingly worried voice wearing him down. He hadn't stayed long...and now she was gone, and he was missing. Bobby cradled his head in his arms, his chest hitching. Sweet wanted to break him, of that he was sure.

He sniffed softly, his throat and eyes burning with unshed tears. After a long moment, Bobby pushed himself upright and tossed a few bills on the bar top. He stumbled out to his car and unlocked the door, breathing in the frigidly cold air.

Within a few minutes, he could breathe right, and felt the first hints of sobriety kicking in. "I'll find you, Jackie," he whispered, his breath puffing in front of his face. "I'll find you."

xx

Jerry leaned back against the counter, his eyes wide in disbelief. He swallowed slowly and moved across the linoleum, sitting down on one of the kitchen chairs. He...loved him...like that...

He blinked and rubbed his hands idly. He'd always suspected that Bobby and Jack's relationship went deeper than with himself or Angel. He'd never resented it, never questioned the look in Bobby's eyes when it came to Jack.

He leaned forward, his elbows resting on his knees, fingers tented in front of him. He'd seen the look, the hurt and pain, everything that Bobby was holding back when he'd admitted the truth. And it had floored him, left him without a clue as to what he could say to ease the guilt that was pouring from Bobby.

Jerry jumped a bit, startled when the chirp of his cell phone shattered the heavy silence in the room. He grabbed the phone from his pocket and opened it hurriedly. "Yeah?" he said, glancing at the number on the display.

"Its set," Evans said briskly. "Tomorrow, bring the money. Warn Bobby though, Sweet, man I ain't so sure about him. He's got somethin' planned, man. This ain't gonna be no easy trade."

Jerry clenched his teeth. "What...Fuck," he said. "Listen, Jerry, I gotta tell you, you need to keep Fowler out of this. Sweet won't run this if Fowler's there," Evans said.

Jerry felt the tendrils of fear creep into his stomach. "I got you," he said.

xx

Jack looked up at the ceiling, whispered prayers falling from his dry and cracked lips. He'd always had a bad habit of licking and biting at his lips when he was nervous. The hooded man stomped down the stairs and tossed a container at him. "Eat," he barked.

"Thanks..." Jack whispered, uncurling and pulled the lukewarm container closer. "So where's Dudley off to?" he asked. The man looked at him, bewildered. "Who?" he said.

"That huge guy," Jack mumbled between fast bites of his food. The man snorted and nodded. "Ah," he said. "His name's Glen by the way."

Jack nodded and coughed violently. "I woke up and he was gone," he said when he could breathe properly. "Victor took him outta here," the man said, watching him eat.

"Why?" Jack asked. The man shrugged. "I don't question my boss, kid," he said. "Glen was gettin' too attached to you anyway."

Jack ate the rest of his meager food in silence. He placed the container down and took a few sips from the somewhat stale water in the nearby pail. "How long have I been here?" he asked.

"Few days," the man said gruffly. Jack curled up and sighed, another coughing fit overwhelming him. His eyes watered fiercely as he struggled to breathe evenly.

"He ain't comin', kid," the man said offhandedly. Jack bit his lip, refusing to rise to the bait. "If he was, wouldn't he have come already?"

Jack bit down harder on his lip, the words digging deeply into his defenses. "Hell, maybe he realized what'll happen, yeah?" the man continued. "Does he know how you feel about him?" he asked abruptly.

Jack closed his eyes, shaking faintly. "Hey! Answer me, you little shit," the man snapped. Jack looked up at him, hate gleaming in his eyes. "Fuck you," he said. The man crossed the floor and knelt down, his fingers curling around Jack's neck, stealing his breath.

"Listen to me, you listen real fuckin' good, got it?" he hissed. Jack glared back at him. "I don't like this, alright? I got other shit I could be doin', and instead I'm stuck here babysittin' your incestuous ass. So when I ask you a question, you fuckin' answer me!"

He let go of Jack, shoving him against the floor, hard. Jack dropped his head to the concrete, tears brimming in his eyes. He breathed out quickly, struggling to stay calm. "I don't hafta explain anything to you," he said. "And it's not incest, you stupid shit," he added hotly.

"It ain't right," the man said flatly. "You two was raised as brothers, still counts."

"Why do you even care?" Jack shot back, his fury finally raised. "Why does it matter to you? Do I give a shit who you fuck?"

"Least I ain't jackin' off to my brother!" the man snarled. "Now, shut up and lie the fuck down!"

Jack balled his hands into fists, shaking with anger. "You started this," he yelled hoarsely. "You keep harpin' on it. Leave it alone, man; just leave it the fuck alone! I don't gotta explain nothing to you. You wanna kill me? Fine, get it over with!"

"It isn't up to me," the man said. "It's up to Sweet. I don't like none of this, ok? It's all fuckin' wrong!"

Jack faltered, his fists loosening. "I just wanna go back home," he whispered, drained of his energy. He sat back down and pulled his legs close to his chest, resting his head on them. "You think Sweet killed my mom?" he asked in a small voice.

The man sighed and nodded. "Yeah," he said flatly. "More'n likely, he did arrange it."

Jack blinked away the immediate rush of tears. "She never hurt no one," he mumbled. "She helped everyone, the nicest fuckin' woman in the world, so why'd he have to take her?"

The man looked away from him. "I don't know," he said after a moment. "Sweet takes out every threat, kid, young or old." Jack nodded silently. He closed his eyes, his shoulders trembling with suppressed tears.

The man stood there, uncomfortable with the grief he could see in Jack's face. He sighed and then walked over to the stairs, leaving Jack alone then.

xx


	5. Chapter 5

Title: Gone 5/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

Bobby sat by the window in Jack's bedroom, his fingers moving over the rosary in his hands. He whispered the prayers, one by one, reaching back to his childhood, of days with no food, accepting whatever the church donation handed out, of prayers and wishes and fading hopes each night that his bedroom door opened.

He closed his eyes and hung his head. He'd tried sleeping, but even Jack's pillow, the one that still held traces of his scent, was no good, not enough. Bobby sighed and ran his thumb over the beads slowly. Evelyn had given him the beads after the first month that he'd spent with her.

On his sixteenth birthday, he came home in the middle of the night, a bandage covering his partially done tattoo, a set of beads that he couldn't lose wrapped around his neck. She'd understood why, and took him to task for not being more careful about keeping it covered while it healed. Bobby ran his thumb along his neck and blinked back tears.

The longer he spent in the house, the more memories started to flow over him. Bobby put the rosary down abruptly and stretched out on Jack's bed, wrapping the sheets around his body, pretending that he could still smell Jack on them.

xxxxx

Jerry sat in the living room, his shoulders hunched. Angel lifted one of his guns and checked the chamber. He clicked it closed with a satisfied grunt. Bobby rubbed his forehead wearily, dark shadows under his eyes.

"What about Fowler?" he asked, his voice strained. "Without Green...He's waitin' for us."

"We gotta keep him outta this or Sweet'll turn away," Jerry said.

Angel rubbed his fingers along his thumb. "We need to take Fowler out before the meet," he murmured.

Jerry stared at him. "We can't kill a cop even if he is dirty," he said.

"He handed Ma to Sweet, okay? He ain't walking away from this," Bobby said coldly.

"So, what then? We just walk up and put a bullet in his head?" Jerry snapped. "You think for one second that the cops won't figure it was you?"

Bobby looked out the window, his eyes haunted. "If it means Jack's safe, then yeah, I'd do it," he muttered.

Angel blinked and looked at Bobby. Jerry shook his head at him silently. "No, we need something better, something that'll show Fowler for the piece of shit he is," he said.

Angel sat up a bit. "We need a distraction to keep him offa Sweet an' us," he said. "I can do that," he added, his lips curving in a grin.

xxxxx

Jack shivered and groaned when he heard the heavy footsteps on the stairs. He blinked and peered over the edge of the blanket, his stomach dropping when he saw the small group of men. He licked his lips nervously and stayed silent, watching them.

"We just found one of my men," the man in the middle of the group announced.

Jack bit the inside of his cheek, shivering again. The usual man, his ski mask in place stood at the side, close to where Jack was. The smaller man glared at Jack.

"Did you hear what I said?" he asked harshly. Jack blinked, looking at him.

"He mute or somethin'?" the man demanded. "Answer me, you sniveling fucker!"

The masked man nudged Jack lightly with his boot. "C'mon kid," he urged him quietly.

Jack sat up a bit. "So?" he asked in a strained voice. "What's that got to do with me?"

The smaller man laughed and nodded. "Whole lots got to do with you, sweetheart," he said. "Your brothers fucked him up and someone's gotta pay for that."

Jack cringed, his heart aching for the times that he heard Bobby call him sweetheart in his soft, husky voice, late at night when he'd climbed into Bobby's bed, fleeing the monsters in his dreams.

"Don't you know who I am?" the man yelled. Jack shook his head.

"I'm Victor Sweet, you dumb shit," he said, smirking coldly at the look on Jack's face.

"Yeah, that Victor Sweet," he continued. "Come to see you for myself. You ain't much, but you'll do." He eyed him. "Take that blanket off!"

Jack clutched at the blanket with nerveless fingers. "N-No..." he whispered.

"What'd you say?" Victor growled. "Did you just fuckin' say no to me? Nobody says no to me, you little bitch!" He clicked his fingers at the masked man beside Jack. "Take that blanket offa him."

Jack looked up at the man, pleading with him silently. The man sighed and lifted Jack upwards. "Just do it," he whispered in his ear.

Jack clung to the blanket. "D-Don't..." he said, his teeth chattering as the cold air hit his exposed skin. Victor chuckled and nodded. "Now, or I'm gonna pay a visit to your bitch girlfriend," he said to the man.

The masked man swallowed hard and pulled the blanket away from Jack completely. Jack let out a small cry, naked to the waist before Victor Sweet. He stared at the ground, tears of humiliation gathering in his eyes.

"Yeah, not so bad," Victor said, moving closer to him. "Got a real pretty mouth, eh sweetheart?"

Jack closed his eyes, shaking as he was inspected. "Take them jeans off," Victor said.

Jack's eyes flew open and he looked at him in horror. "N-No!" he said, edging away from him.

"Strip off or I'll have them cut the jeans offa you," Victor said coldly.

"Please..." Jack whispered, sniffling and struggling not to cough as he looked at the masked man.

The man looked back at him, pure pity in his eyes. "He really shouldn't be naked," he said aloud. "Boy's got a bad cold."

"Aw, poor baby," Victor sneered. "I don't give a shit if he's sick."

"He ain't worth nothin' to you if he needs a hospital for pneumonia," the masked man said calmly.

Victor eyed Jack, who was doing his best not to cry, his lips blue tinged, his chest rattling and hitching with each breath. "He ain't worth much to me now," he snapped. "Once I got Bobby taken care of, me and Jackie here, we're gonna get real close."

Jack froze, panic flooding him. Victor touched Jack's cool cheek, his fingers gripping him in a tight grip. "Oh yeah, real close," he crooned. "You an' me sweetheart, you on your knees, I bet you're real good at it."

Jack felt the first flickers of raw fury surge through him. He stared Victor in the eye, one tear trickling down his cheek. Victor smiled slowly until he felt the gob of spit hit his face, Jack's lips curved in a smirk.

Victor growled and backhanded Jack viciously, sending him reeling backwards. "That was a big mistake, sweetheart," he hissed.

Jack stumbled against the concrete wall, his lip split from the gaudy ring on Victor's finger. He clutched at his cheek, pain blossoming in his face. "You...You just wait," he whispered thickly. "He's comin' for me."

"And I'm gonna make him blow his fucking head off before I give you up," Victor snarled, storming up the stairs as he wiped at the spittle on his face.

Jack dropped to the floor, silent tears spilling over his cheeks, stinging the cut on his lip.

"You...You're so stupid!" the masked man grumbled, hurriedly wrapping Jack in the blanket. Jack leaned into his touch, sniffling and coughing wetly.

"You woulda done the same," he mumbled. The man snorted and rubbed Jack's cold hands in his own. Jack sighed, the tears flowing slowly.

"I woulda kept my mouth shut," the man said irritably. "Now you gone and pissed him off. Someone's gonna get hurt cause you made him mad, that make you happy?"

Jack closed his eyes, guilt gnawing at him. "I...I won't let him have me like that," he whispered.

The man tucked the blanket tighter, frowning. "You gotta stop wishin' for what ain't gonna happen," he said. "Life...It doesn't work that way."

Jack looked at him, the blue of his eyes dulled with pain. "I already know that," he said. "Bobby's comin' for me. You'd do the same if it was you that had this happening."

The man grunted. "Course I would, that don't mean I like all this," he said gruffly.

"But you're here with me," Jack said. "And that's something." He yawned and curled up, cradling his injured cheek. "What's your name?" he asked a moment later.

"Doesn't matter," the man said. "Sleep now." Jack eyed him and snuggled in closer to the blankets.

"Thank you," he whispered, grateful for even a hint of kindness from him.

The man nodded, running his fingers gently over Jack's hair, attempting to soothe him. Jack drifted off to sleep, his breathing still wet and heavy. The man felt his forehead and swore under his breath at how warm Jack's skin was.

He pushed the fears he held aside and left the basement, casting one more look at Jack before climbing the stairs.

xxxxx

Bobby slid his shirt on, followed by his sweater, keeping Jack's rosary close to his skin. He ran two fingers over the beads, his breath catching. "Gotta pick up Jerry still," Angel said, his body leaning against the doorframe.

"Yeah," Bobby grunted. He turned away from the mirror, and grabbed his hat, tugging it down over his messy hair.

"If this doesn't go down the way it oughta..." Angel started to say. Bobby glanced at him for a long moment. He shook his head silently. Angel sighed. "I don't even wanna think on it, either, but I'm bein' realistic right now, yeah?"

Bobby crouched and laced up his boots, hiding the tremor in his fingers. "It'll work," he said.

"Bobby..." Angel murmured, flexing his hands idly.

"Don't, ok?" Bobby snapped, a scowl darkening his face. "Just don't...Fuck! I gotta do this, ok? I gotta, I owe him this much, Angel. After...last time," he trailed off, hurriedly standing up then.

Angel eyed him from the doorway. "Jerry said you guys got some shit to sort out," he said flatly, no question to his words. Bobby groaned and rubbed the side of his head.

"Not that it's any of your damned business," he said, flashing an annoyed look at him.

"Slow down, Bobby, I ain't askin' for details," Angel shot back. "I wanna know that when we get him back, you aren't gonna bolt outta here like some chickenshit."

Bobby glared at him. "Me an' Jack..." he shrugged, his eyes gleaming with anger and frustration. "It's...It's not easy, s'never easy with him. I can't be...what he wants."

"You can, you're scared is all," Angel scoffed. Bobby crossed the room, shoving Angel hard.

"I'm not scared!" he shouted. Angel grinned and shook his head. "Whatcha got to be scared of?" he asked. "Jack loves the hell outta you, shit, all of us know that. So why you hidin' from him?"

Bobby backed away from Angel, breathing hard. "You guys...don't care?" he asked carefully, his fists still clenched, ready at his sides.

"Course not," Angel said lowly. "No one else is gonna be able to put up with your bullshit anyway," he added, smirking slightly.

Bobby flipped him off and stalked past him, a small smile curving his lips. "C'mon, let's get this shit going," he said gruffly.

xxxxx


	6. Chapter 6

Title: Gone 6/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

Bobby moved his thumb over the small gun he held in his hand, the weight and feel of the metal a comforting reminder. He flicked the safety on and pushed the gun into the waistband of his jeans before getting into his car. His forehead furrowed, he watched Jerry come out of house, Camille and the kids following behind him.

"I know what you're thinkin'," Angel said lowly.

"We don't got that much time for all this shit," Bobby grumbled.

Angel shook his head. "Man, shut up," he said without any real malice. "If that was you an' Jack, you'd be all over him, worryin' and freaking."

Bobby bit the inside of his cheek, a faint pinkness rising on his cheeks. "Fuck you," he replied automatically.

Angel snorted and looked out the window. "I'm goin'," he said, glancing back at Bobby.

Bobby sighed softly, nodding, the words caught in his throat. Angel gave him a lopsided smile. "Hey...It's gonna work, right?" he said. Bobby blinked, his chest hitching with a breath.

"Do me proud, huh?" he managed to say, blinking until the stinging in his eyes faded.

Angel gripped Bobby's shoulder and squeezed. "Yeah," he said. "Go on, go get Jackie."

Bobby swallowed and nodded, getting out of the car when Angel did. Angel nudged Jerry as he left, winking back at his brothers as he walked down the street.

Camille ushered the girls into the waiting car. Bobby stood next to his car, his breath puffing in front of him. He watched as Jerry kissed his daughters' foreheads, a pang of guilt flaring up inside him.

Jerry hugged Camille tightly, their voices echoing in quiet whispers. Jerry stepped back from her reluctantly and got in Bobby's waiting car. Camille opened the door to her car and then paused, her eyes flitting back to Bobby.

"Look, I know I don't know you that well, but don't you let him get hurt. You bring him back to me," she said, a plea in her eyes that made Bobby's throat ache.

Bobby nodded slowly. "I will, Camille," he said, his voice rough. "Swear it."

She offered him a small smile and got into the car, Daniela and Amelia waving, a chorus of goodbyes from them as Camille drove away from the house. Jerry rubbed his forehead, a muted sound passing his lips.

"It's gonna be ok," Bobby muttered as he slid back into the car and started the engine.

"I told her to leave, spend the day at her sister's," Jerry said absently. "Just in case, Sweet..." he trailed off, shaking his head.

Bobby pulled out a cigarette and lit it quickly. "You got your phone?" he asked, switching the subject. Jerry held it up silently. Bobby grunted and pulled out of the driveway, his stomach flopping uneasily.

xxxxx

Jack awoke in a coughing fit, his cheeks heavily flushed as he struggled to pull in a breath. He rolled onto his side, tears rolling down his cheeks. His stomach lurched and he heaved himself upwards to keep from choking. He dimly heard the footsteps above him, raised voices and the slamming of a door.

He reached for the bucket closest to him and lifted it with shaking arms. He took a tiny sip of the water, his thick coughing ebbing when the water trickled down his throat. Jack put the bucket back down, snuffling and rubbing at his nose with his hand.

He curled back up, his teeth clicking together. He couldn't remember the last time he'd been so sick, the last time he'd been sick without someone taking care of him. Jack rasped out a wet laugh, his finger running over his split lip as he recalled the time that he'd come down with the flu while Evelyn had been working at the hospital. Bobby had taken care of him, despite his mild bitching over having to give up a hockey game to do so.

"Bobby..." Jack murmured, his eyes closing. Bobby had taken care of him, as always, the complaining a mere façade. Jack coughed again, his breathing ragged in his own ears.

The door opened at the top of the stairs, a slow thump as the person came down. Jack peered over the edge of his blanket, his eyes wary until he saw the man with the ski mask approaching him.

"Hey," Jack whispered. The man put the container of food down hurriedly, his dark eyes flicking over Jack's face, his mouth in a tight frown.

"What?" Jack asked, attempting to sit up. He coughed louder, one hand to his bare chest, tears shining in his eyes from the force of his cough. 'What is it?"

"Sweet's transferring you," the masked man said. Jack sighed and reached for the container. "Would it be too much to hope for clothes?" he asked, eating the slim slices of chicken strips.

The masked man paced, not answering him. Jack watched him while he ate, unable to taste the food, but hungry nonetheless. "Somethin's happening, isn't it?"

The man stopped and nodded. "Victor's movin' you" he said. Jack tilted his head, a sense of dread creeping down his back. He put the container down, his scant appetite gone.

"And..." Jack whispered.

The man breathed out slowly. "He's takin' you with him to the meeting," he said.

Jack pulled the blanket around him. "Meeting...A meeting with Bobby?" he said, Victor's horrible threat echoing in his ears.

"Yeah," the man said. "Hurry up an' eat. I managed to get you a few minutes t' eat before he comes to get you."

"You...Is he gonna kill Bobby?" Jack asked, unable to keep the tremor out of his voice.

"I don't know! Ok? I don't fuckin' know," the man yelled. Jack flinched, sniffling quietly.

Jack bowed his head, new tears prickling under his eyelids. "O-Ok," he mumbled, standing up then, his body shaking from the effort, the blanket pooling on the ground. The masked man looked him over, his throat working as he swallowed.

"I gotta cuff you," he said, pulling a pair of cuffs out of his pocket.

Jack stared at him, pleading silently. "I won't fight," he promised. "I'll...I'll go."

The man shook his head. "I'm sorry, kid, I gotta do it," he said, stepping closer to Jack. "You ain't the only one who's caught y'know? My girl...I can't let anythin' happen to her."

Jack closed his eyes. He moved his arms behind his back and held them there, stifling a sob when he felt the cold metal bracelets snap around his wrists.

"Kid..." the man started to say. Jack pulled away from him abruptly. "It's Jack," he said.

"What?" the man blinked. "My name is Jack," he repeated. "Not kid."

The man looked into Jack's eyes for a long moment, understanding him. "Right," he said. "Jack...I ...I'm real sorry, Jack. I wish...Fuck, if I could open the door and see nothin', I would."

Jack nodded, sniffing hard. "He's...He's not gonna give me up, is he?" he asked.

The man bit his lip. "I don't know, Jack. Victor don't like to lose or give in."

"I...I just wish I could see Bobby again," Jack whispered. "Just once more...I'd tell him, tell him everythin'. I...I..." he trailed off, a tear running down his cheek.

The man sighed. "C'mon," he said, resting a comforting hand on Jack's shoulder. Jack sniffed and walked unsteadily towards the stairs. "Tell Glenn thanks," he murmured.

"Huh?" the man said, frowning. Jack coughed weakly. "Glenn, he...he rocked me, kept me warm sometimes...Cut me, but kept me warm," he said, a tiny laugh escaping him.

"You're delirious," the man scoffed, rolling his eyes. "He really liked you though."

Jack grinned crookedly, allowing himself that brief moment to ignore the fact that he was being led upstairs, away from the basement that he'd been kept in since he was taken, and thrust into the bitterly cold winter air outside.

_Bobby..._

xxxxx

Jerry watched Bobby stub out his third cigarette in thirty minutes. Bobby blew out a short breath. "What the fuck is takin' him so long?" he growled.

"He'll call," Jerry said, his knee bouncing in impatience.

Bobby stared out the window, his hand rubbing at Jack's rosary around his neck. "You told Angel 'bout me an' Jack," he said.

Jerry nodded. "Yeah, I did," he said. "Angel was askin' questions, and it ain't right to hide all this. Y'all know I hate lies an' secrets." Jerry held his phone, willing it to ring.

"Y'ever tell a lie so big, you're afraid to try an' fix it?" Bobby asked then, his voice dropping to a low whisper.

Jerry glanced at Bobby. "There's nothin' that can't be fixed if you want it bad enough," he said.

Bobby lifted his head to look at Jerry. "I lied to him," he said, his eyes dark. "I lied to Jack, that's why I left."

"You lied to protect from what you're 'fraid of?" Jerry asked. Bobby nodded.

"He...He asked me if I loved him the way he loved me," he said in an anguished whisper. "I lied to him...Told him no, and left that night. His face...the look on his face..."

"It's not too late, Bobby," Jerry said. Bobby swallowed over the lump in his throat.

"I..." his words faded when Jerry's cell phone chirped. Jerry flipped the phone open and held it to his ear. "Angel?" he said.

"Hey, I got him," Angel's voice came through the phone, muffled curses in the background.

Bobby's face darkened as he started the engine. Jerry inhaled quickly. "Is he out of the way?"

"What, you wanna ask him?" Angel shot back.

"Let me hear his voice," Jerry said with cold anger in his eyes.

"Hold on, let me put him on, hold on," Angel muttered. "Hey man, say hi to my brother."

Bobby yanked the phone away from Jerry, the tinny swears coming through the phone amusing him. "We got you now, bitch," he spat. He shoved the phone back at Jerry and pulled away from the curb, the engine breaking the silence outside.

xxxxx


	7. Chapter 7

Title: Gone 7/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xxxxx

Jack stumbled and tripped as he struggled to stay upright in the snow. The masked man gripped Jack's upper arm, steadying him. "Easy," he murmured.

Jack shivered, a small moan leaving him when the wind blew, his skin aching from the bite of the cold air. "F-Fuck..." he whispered, shuddering.

The masked man led Jack to the waiting car. "Go on, get in," he said. Jack nodded, his teeth chattering hard. He sat down on the leather seat, hissing as the cold material touched his bare back.

The man got in beside him, nudging Jack further along the seat. "Put the belt on," he said. Jack rolled his eyes and did so clumsily, his numb fingers making the task difficult.

"Where is he?" the man said, prodding the driver in the shoulder with two fingers.

The man grunted and shook his head. "Inside still," he said.

Jack shivered, his body trembling. "Turn the heat on," the masked man said.

"What?" the driver said, glancing back at them in the rearview mirror. "What the fuck for?"

"Just fuckin' do it," the masked man snapped. The driver sighed impatiently and flicked the switch, the heater rumbling to life.

Jack felt the first blasts of heat hit his legs and arms. "Thanks," he mumbled.

The masked man nodded tightly. "S'nothin'," he said. Jack coughed and ducked his head when the driver glared at him. He sniffed, his throat burning with each breath that he took in. He closed his eyes when he heard the approaching footsteps, Victor's voice carrying on the wind.

"Let's go," he said, gesturing at the waiting men. He got in the luxury car and eyed Jack. "Damn boy, you look like you need warmin' up. How 'bout you climb on over here and put y'self t' work?"

Jack felt his stomach clench. He shifted away from Victor. "I..." he started to say.

"I cuffed him, he ain't movin' nowhere now," the masked man cut in.

Victor scoffed. "He don't need his hands for this."

Jack blinked, shuddering again. Victor looked him up and down. "You gonna be fun to break in," he said, nodding. "Oh yeah, jus' you wait."

Jack stared at his tattered jeans, refusing to look at him. The masked man nudged him, a subtle warning to stay quiet. Victor looked at the driver. "The fuck you waitin' for?" he shouted.

The driver started the engine and turned the wheel, pulling away from the house. Jack looked back over his shoulder, watching the house as they drove. He swallowed hard, his lips pressed tightly together to keep from screaming, or crying.

Victor chuckled when they pulled up to the iced over river. "Fool showed up," he said. "And they say there's no such thing as a free lunch."

Jack looked up, seeing the group of men on the river. He bit his lip hard, his eyes widening. "Bobby..." he whispered. Victor laughed and adjusted his coat collar.

"Your boy, he sure is stupid, Jackie," he said. "Let's get this shit over with; I got a lotta breakin' in to do, don't I?" He let his eyes wander over Jack's chest. "Get him out!" he barked at two of his men.

The two men at the back of the car yanked Jack out of the door, ignoring his grunt of pain. Jack stumbled again as the men pulled him further, his feet slipping over the ground. Jack's teeth chattered, the cold air biting at his exposed skin once more. The masked man stood at his side.

They shoved Jack down to the ground, the ice digging into his knees, his hands cuffed tightly behind his back. Jack shivered, his heart beating too fast, his lips forming silent prayers. He cocked his head to one side as the rumble of a car engine pulled up nearby.

He peered up at the men who were staring at him. A deep blush swept over Jack's face, embarrassed to be seen like this. Jerry stepped forward, his eyes hard.

"Jeremiah Mercer. Businessman," Victor said with a sneer on his face. "Give me that!" he said as he yanked the duffel bag loose from Jerry's hand. Victor pulled the zipper back, a smile curving his lips when he saw the stacks of money neatly piled inside the bag.

"Goddamn it, I like the way you do business!" he said, nodding to Jerry. "You shoulda let me in on your project, Jerry. We coulda been partners, and now...well look what you and your brothers got yourselves into."

Jack stared at the snow, his knees chilled from the ice that was seeping into his jeans. Victor walked over to Jack's side. "You see this?" he said, grabbing a fistful of Jack's hair.

Jack cried out, squirming in his grip. "You let go of him now!" Jerry yelled. "Come on now, we gonna trade up, or what?"

Victor shook his hand, Jack's cries echoing loudly. "Tell me, Jeremiah, what were the terms again? You paid me four hundred grand and I pardon you and your brothers, is that right? Forgive and forget, right?" he asked, yanking harder on Jack's hair.

"Damn it, Sweet, let go of my brother!" Jerry said, taking a step forward. "You got your money! My brothers said I was bein' naïve, tellin' me that you'd shoot me and take the money anyway."

"Aw, you hurt my feelings," Victor crooned falsely. He released his grip on Jack's hair, his fingers stroking the soft strands. Jack cringed, his lips trembling.

"Good," Jerry said. Jack looked around, searching in vain for any hint of Bobby. The men formed a circle around them, blocking his view. He ducked his head and shivered, a harsh cough rattling in his chest.

Jerry looked over Jack's shoulder, his eyes glinting in the weak sunshine. "You don't know shit about hurt feelings," he said, Victor's snort echoing. "You killed my mama, you're ransomin' off my baby brother, and I think that all this is payment enough."

"You been doin' a lot of thinking, boy," Victor drawled. "Least one of you boys got some brains. I don't see the others, they chicken out on you? I'm kinda sad, I was hopin' to see Bobby, make sure he knows that this ain't on your head no more, but on both of yours."

"Yeah, my mama raised me to be a thinking man," Jerry said, his hands resting in front of him. "So me and my brothers, we came up with a whole new proposal."

Victor blinked and chuckled softly. "A whole new proposal," he said. "Is that right? What else you think you got that'll make me give him back, huh?"

"Yes, sir," Jerry said, smiling then. "You gonna like it too, because it's a real sweet deal. Check it out. Instead of giving you the four hundred grand, we decided to give it to these mistreated workers you got standing behind you, and then you're gonna give me my brother."

Victor huffed out an indignant laugh. "Boy, you are fuckin' touched in the head if you think for one second that my men would follow a pussy like you," he said. He glanced at Evan briefly. "Pistol," he said flatly.

Evan stood silently next to Jerry. Jack sucked in an unsteady breath, gasping lowly as another cough scraped his throat. "Evan, I said pistol!" Victor yelled.

"No, bitch," Evan said, some amusement in his voice. "The one thing you forgot about me is this, I was in the union for a long time. I ain't never missed no meetings."

"He ain't lying," Jerry said, shaking his head. "It's cold out here when you by yourself, ain't it? Now you gonna let go of my brother an' we walkin' out of here."

Victor looked around the circle in disbelief. "So what?" Y'all gonna turn on me? You gonna kill the hand that's been feeding you?! Over some stupid old lady and this skinny bitch?!" he slapped his hand off the side of Jack's head, a pained cry leaving Jack.

"You watch your motherfucking mouth," Jerry snapped.

Victor laughed wildly. "You dumb shits!" he said. "I told Fowler an' all his little pals about this whole meeting! You kill me an' you'll all go down! Murder charges, you bitches!"

"He's already late, Victor," Jerry said. "Give me Jack, and we cool, right?"

Victor opened and closed his mouth. "Hell no, you can't take him, he's mine now, my fuckin' property," he said. Jack swayed woozily on the ice. He smiled then, his skin mostly numb from the cold. "Bobby..." he mumbled, coughing harder, tears in his eyes.

"So, who's gonna do it then?" Victor shouted at the men around him. "Who's gonna be the big man? Who's gonna take on Victor Sweet? Ain't none of you got what it takes!"

Victor turned around when he heard the murmurs among the men beside him. He squinted, watching the lone figure come closer to the group. "Is that that y'all been waitin' on? Oh fuck, this is gonna be a treat," he said, smirking.

Jack turned his head, his mouth dropping when he saw Bobby stalking towards them, cold rage in his eyes. "Bobby..." he mouthed, his lips tinged blue.

"Oh, Bobby Mercer," Victor said, delighted. "You sure know how to pull off an entrance, don't you?"

Bobby came to a stop in front of Victor. He looked down at Jack, fury flashing on his face. "What the fuck is this?" he demanded. "You tryin' to freeze him?!"

"This whole thing, it ain't settled till your bloods on this ice here," Victor said. "I ain't letting him leave here till you're dead, got that?"

Jack lifted his head, his eyes meeting Bobby's. He sniffed, a tear running down his cheek. Bobby gritted his teeth, his hands tightening into fists.

"You gonna be the one, then?" Victor demanded. "Come on, Bobby, what you got for me? I tell you what," he said. "You take my gun, you do the right thing and I'll let your baby boy go, a'right?"

"Your idea of the right thing is what?" Bobby asked, stepping closer to Victor.

"You, I want you to finish yourself off, in front of us," Victor said simply.

Jack shuddered. "No!" he croaked, his body racked with violent coughing.

"You shut your mouth!" Victor hissed, slapping Jack hard.

Bobby lashed out, his fist connecting with Victor's jaw. "Don't you touch him, don't you fuckin' touch him!" he growled.

"Watch his hands, Bobby," Jerry said, tugging Bobby's long coat off his arms.

Victor laughed and spat blood on the ground. "That the best shot you got?" he said, shrugging his own coat off.

Bobby edged in closer, the two of them prowling warily. Jack watched as the fight began in earnest then, the other men roaring and cheering, the shouts echoing loudly. He cringed when Victor landed a vicious punch to Bobby's eye, coughing harder.

It seemed to go on forever, the grunts, the kicks and punches, Bobby slowly gaining the upper hand on Victor. Jack gasped out another ragged cough, his movements becoming slow and uneven. Victor landed on the ground, his leg hooking around Bobby's ankle and dragging him down. Bobby hit the ground, groaning as he rolled over.

Victor let out a small scream and jumped at him. Bobby looked up in time to see Victor coming at him before he rolled to the side, grunting when he felt the impact. Victor backhanded Bobby and leaned over, grabbing the gun from the waist of Bobby's jeans.

He rolled back over and aimed at Jack, laughing. "S'all for nothin'," he slurred, blood trickling down his bottom lip. Bobby looked over, his mouth dropping. "No!" he yelled, lunging at Victor, the blast of the gun startling them all.

Jack breathed out, his eyes wide as the fiery pain spread through his shoulder. He looked down, hot blood pouring down his chest He looked back up, his mouth moving wordlessly. "Bobby..." he managed to say before he slumped backwards, tears running down his cheeks, the pain burning white-hot throughout him.

Bobby ripped the gun from Sweet's hands and smashed it into his face, relishing the howl of pain that followed. "Fuckin' bastard!" he screamed. He threw the gun to the side and ran the short distance to Jack, the sound of the men tossing Sweet in the hole that had been cut earlier a mere whisper in his ears.

Jack coughed weakly, his breath catching. Bobby crouched over him, touching his face frantically. "Jack! Jack, look at me! Hold on, Jackie," he said, tears in his eyes.

Jack struggled to pull each breath in, the blood dripping from in between Bobby's fingers.

"Don't you die on me, you little fairy," Bobby demanded, his voice shaking. "Come on, Jack. Please! You gotta fucking breathe! Come on!"

Jack smiled slowly, his eyes heavy as the sky above him faded. "Bobby," he whispered. "Knew you'd come..."


	8. Chapter 8

Title: Gone 8/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

Bobby flicked the end of his cigarette, his breath streaming in thin clouds above his head. He ran his tongue over the split in his lip, grimacing at the burst of pain that followed.

"Fuckin' cops," he muttered. He took another long drag from his cigarette as he watched the flow of people around him, coming and going from the hospital. Bobby closed his eyes for a long moment, his body aching from the beatings he'd endured, first Sweet, then from the cops who'd been desperate to pin the disappearance of Victor on him.

Bobby cracked one swollen eye open when he heard footsteps coming closer. Jerry leaned against the brick wall, nodding at him. "Hey," Bobby murmured, flicking the ash from his cigarette again.

"Hey, how's that face of yours holdin' up?" Jerry asked.

Bobby snorted. "I'll live," he said. He inhaled and released a cloud of smoke. "You?"

"I'm fine, s'nothin' we didn't get years ago, yeah?" Jerry said.

Bobby chuckled dryly. "Yeah," he said. "You always were a scrappy little shit. Learned from the best," he added.

"That's what I tell anyone who asks," Jerry said. Bobby closed his eyes again, his head tilted down. "You been in to see him yet?" Jerry asked.

"Haven't left," Bobby said, his hand moving smoothly to his mouth, though his fingers trembled. "I...I can't jus' leave him here, Jerry. He'll be alone and you know how much Jack hates hospitals."

"You need to sleep, man, and how longs it been since you ate somethin'?" Jerry sighed.

Bobby opened his eyes and glared at Jerry. "M'fine, don't start with that naggin' shit," he snapped. "Someone's gotta be here in case..."

"Bobby..." Jerry said. "The doctor's said..."

"I know what the doctor's said!" Bobby shot back. "He's gonna be fine."

Jerry sighed again and looked at the ground. "C'mon, take me up there with you," he said. Bobby stubbed out the remains of his cigarette, his forehead creased in frustration.

He led Jerry up to Jack's room, nodding at the nurse who sat at the nearby station. Bobby shrugged his coat off and stood next to the bed silently. Jack laid on the bed, still and unmoving, the machines hooked up to him beeping steadily. His chest rose and fell slowly, the breathing mask over his nose and mouth protectively.

"Jesus..." Jerry whispered.

Bobby ran one hand over Jack's hair, smoothing it down. "He's doing good," he whispered hoarsely.

Jerry nodded absently. There was large swath of fabric covering Jack's shoulder, taped down on his pale skin. "Have they told you anythin' else?" he asked.

Bobby swallowed over the lump in his throat. "He's got pneumonia, real bad," he said. "And...And the gunshot..." he trailed off, his fingers carding through Jack's hair gently.

He looked up at Jerry and then away, his face set as he sat in the chair next to the bed. "Are they keeping him under?" Jerry asked. He looked at the various machines, the intravenous bags that hung from a tall pole.

"Mild sedative," Bobby said. He rested his hand on Jack's, his thumb rubbing across the backs of Jack's knuckles. "He woke up screamin' when they brought him outta surgery, tried to rip the i.v out. I won't let them tie him down, so I had t' let them sedate Jack," he said, weary exhaustion showing on his face then.

"Bobby...Bobby, you need to get some sleep, man," Jerry said.

"No, I won't leave him here," Bobby said automatically. "I can't, don't ask me that."

Jerry touched Bobby's shoulder, squeezing lightly. "Look, I know you don't wanna leave him alone, but you need to sleep an' eat," he said.

"You don't understand," Bobby said through clenched teeth. "This...all this is my fault."

"Your fault?" Jerry echoed. "How in the hell is this your fault?"

"Sweet used my gun," Bobby mumbled. "It was my gun, my bullets..." He rubbed his free hand over his face, his voice shaking when he spoke.

"Bobby, are you outta your mind?" Jerry sputtered. "This...this ain't your fault."

"Ma always told me to keep an eye out for Jack, and I was so busy blamin' you, an' fighting," Bobby said, his voice dropping, guilt heavy in his eyes. "I didn't even notice that he was gone right away."

"We all shoulda been keeping an eye out, Bobby," Jerry argued. "This...None of us knew that Victor would do this, ok?"

"I let him get hurt," Bobby said. "This shouldn't have happened, an' I let it happen."

"You can't blame yourself for this," Jerry said. "Man, I oughta slap you for even thinking it. Jack would slap you if he knew you were blamin' yourself."

Bobby stared at the tiled floor, blinking back the bitter sting of tears. They stood in silence for several drawn out minutes, the air thick with tension.

Jerry pulled his hand back from Bobby's shoulder. "I gotta run," he said slowly.

"Yeah," Bobby said softly, his eyes on Jack's face. "I'll tell him you came."

"I'll bring Angel here to see him tomorrow," Jerry offered.

Bobby nodded and offered him a thin smile. "Just don't be bringin' that noisy bitch with him," he said.

"You got it," Jerry said. He looked at Jack and then at Bobby. "We gonna bring him home, Bobby. Jack's gonna be ok."

"I wanna believe that," Bobby whispered. Jerry hugged him with one arm and left, murmuring a goodbye to Jack as he walked out of the room.

Bobby waited until Jerry left the room to let a few tears escape, his breathing coming in strangled gasps. "I'm so sorry, Jack," he pleaded, resting his head to Jack's hand.

xx

Bobby passed many long hours at Jack's side. He left only to hurriedly smoke a few cigarettes before returning to sit beside him. Jerry came again the next day, Angel at his side, a bag of food in one hand.

"Camille made this," he said, placing the bag on the bedside table.

"Not hungry," Bobby said flatly. "Tell her I said thanks though, huh?"

"Bobby, you gotta eat," Jerry said, worry clear in his eyes.

"Leave me alone," Bobby mumbled, his hands picking at the soft fabric of the hospital blanket.

Angel crossed his arms loosely, watching Jack sleep. "He come out of it yet?" he asked.

Bobby shook his head. "No..." he said, his breath catching. "The doctor's...They said it might take awhile. Jack...he was already sick when Sweet took him. His cold, it got worse and now...now its pneumonia. He's weak and the loss of blood..." Bobby trailed off, his gaze landing on Jack's cloth covered shoulder.

Angel glanced at Jerry, frowning. Jerry pushed the bag further down the table. "Eat, Bobby," he said. "You need to, an' Jack would be tellin' you to just the same."

Bobby took the bag with a murmured 'thanks'. He felt no pangs of hunger, no sense of anything other than the need to stay at Jack's side, to atone for allowing this hurt to occur.

Under Jerry's watchful eye, Bobby ate one of the sandwiches and half of an orange before giving up. "I'll eat more later on," he promised, fidgeting in his chair.

"Bobby..." Jerry said, a sigh leaving him when Bobby glared at him.

"Leave him be," Angel said slowly. He caught Jerry's eye, silent communication between them. Jerry nodded once and backed off. They sat in the small hospital room, a cloyingly thick sense of tension and pain filling the air. When Angel and Jerry had eventually left, Bobby rested his head on the edge of the bed, listening to sound of Jack's exhales.

xx

"Excuse me, Sir," a soft voice broke through Bobby's sleepy daze. He blinked, startled by the interruption. He glared at the young nurse, eyeing her. "What?" he snapped.

"I need to run a check on Jack, you need to let go of his hand for a minute," she said calmly, unfazed by Bobby's anger. Bobby opened his mouth to protest.

"Sir, I really don't want to have to alert security, so please, just move to the side for now," she said politely, a smooth strength under her words. "You can still stay here, you don't need to leave."

Bobby let go of Jack's hand slowly, much reluctance on his face. "Why won't he wake up?" he mumbled, his eyes on Jack's face.

The nurse read over the clip board at the foot of the bed for a moment. "He needs time to heal, Mr. Mercer," she said. She put the board back in place and moved closer to the bed.

Bobby watched her, keeping a close eye on how she handled Jack, ensuring that she wasn't too rough, didn't move him too quickly. She glanced at him, a small smile on her lips.

"I won't hurt him," she said. Bobby sneered at her. "Maybe you won't but someone else sure as shit might try," he said.

"Not everyone is so lucky to have a brother to protect them," she said as she adjusted Jack's blanket.

"I used to protect him," Bobby muttered, breaking the eye contact. "I didn't this time."

"You can't be there all the time," she said with a shake of her head, sending a few red curls loose from her pinned back hair.

"I should have been," Bobby insisted. "I failed him, why can't anyone see that? What the fuck good am I for, if I can't even keep my Jack safe?"

The nurse tilted her head, a hint of a knowing smile on her face. "I think it would make Jack very happy to know that you're here," she said. "I know you're carrying a lot of guilt, but sometimes, you need to leave some of the guilt behind you."

Bobby bit the inside of his cheek when he felt tears sting his eyes. "Y'know what he said to me when I finally got to him?" he whispered roughly. "He said he knew I'd come for him."

He looked up at the nurse, swallowing hard. "Like he never stopped believin' that I'd come get him. And I shoulda been there sooner! He...They hurt him, I knew they would..."

"You did save him," she said. "God knows, it could have been so much worse. But Jack's here now. You need to focus on that. He's safe now, and you're here, and that has to count for something."

Bobby bit down harder on his cheek. The nurse smoothed her curls back into place. "He'll wake up," she said. "And when he does, you'll be right here for him. Let go of the guilt, Mr. Mercer."

Bobby held Jack's hand then, his thumb smoothing over the cool skin. "I can't," he murmured. "I...You don't know the whole thing..."

"I know love when I see it," she said lightly. Bobby lifted his head quickly, a vaguely worried look in his eyes. "Calm down," she said. "Since when does a big tough guy like you care what anyone thinks?"

"I don't care!" Bobby grumbled. "I don't like havin' to explain myself is all."

"You don't need to," she said. "I'll be back to check on Jack in a few hours."

He nodded tightly and shifted closer to Jack. Once the nurse had left, Bobby let out a sad sigh. He kissed Jack's fingers gently, his throat clenching from his emotions.

"You need to wake up, Jackie," he whispered. "I know things went real shitty last time we talked, but...but you gotta give me a chance to tell you everything."

Bobby pulled back briefly and pulled the rosary around his neck off. He leaned over and undid the clasp, arranging it carefully around Jack's neck. "T-There," he said shakily. "I know it's yours, I started wearin' it when they took you. Looks good on you, sweetheart, it really does."

He adjusted the chain and slipped it under Jack's hospital gown, edging it away from the various tubes and wires. "When you wake up, it's gonna be different," Bobby whispered. "I got so much to tell you, and...And you were right, Jackie. I...I lied to you last time. Fuck, I wish I could take it back. I never wanna see that look on your face again."

Bobby's shoulders hitched, a tear escaping from one eye. It ran down his cheek and landed on Jack's fingers. "I'm sorry, Jack, for everything..."


	9. Chapter 9

Title: Gone 9/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

_Lights...too bright..._

Jack blinked slowly. His tongue felt thick, his mouth dry. He stared up at the tiled ceiling, blinking again as his ears took in the muted beeps coming from the machines near him. He shifted slightly, wincing as he felt a pulling sensation in his chest. He groaned as white-hot pain spread, searing his nerves. Panting weakly from the effort, he sat up slowly, ignoring the fresh bursts of pain that echoed through him.

He looked down at himself warily. Jack's chest hitched when he saw the I.V. lines running into his hands. He yanked his arms in vain, struggling to pull the tubes loose, his breathing coming in frightened gasps.

"Fuck," he whispered hoarsely. Jack fell back against the pillows, gritting his teeth. Hot tears of anger gathered under his eyelids. He took several deep breaths in an attempt to stave off a full-blown panic attack. Faint footsteps announced the arrival of someone in the room. Jack turned his head as far as he could, his heart beat thudding loudly in his ears.

A red-headed nurse came into the room and smiled at him. Jack noted absently that her name tag read ' Doris '. "Ah, so you're awake, hmm?" she said as she adjusted his I.V line.

She picked up the chart that was clipped to his bed and scanned through it. Jack blinked. "How long have I been here?" he asked, his throat aching terribly.

Doris double-checked his chart. "A week tomorrow," she said cheerfully, coming closer towards him.

Jack flinched slightly away from her, his eyes wide. "A...a week?" he said in disbelief. "What the hell happened?"

Doris tucked the blankets in around him a bit tighter. "You were shot. You're lucky to be alive, in fact," she said briskly. "Hold still now," she added as she took his temperature with a quick click in his ear.

Jack stared at her, his mouth open slightly. "Are you fucking kidding me?" he whispered, even as the memories rushing at him then, the gunman that had taken him, the basement, Victor's face looming over him, the cold, ice under him...Bobby.

She frowned at him and Jack blushed automatically. "Uh, sorry," he mumbled. Doris shook her head and noted his temperature on the chart.

Jack bit down his lower lip, his fingers twisting the blanket anxiously. "Where's my family?" he asked finally.

"Your brothers were here earlier, but they'll be back," she said as she began to change the bandage on his shoulder.

Jack nodded, his panic lessening a tiny bit. 'Bobby will be here soon,' his mind whispered soothingly. He cringed when he felt the flickers of pain as she changed the fabric. He reached with one hand, feeling the tube that ran under his nose.

"What the..."

"Ah ah, now don't you go pulling that out," Doris chided him kindly. "I don't like seeing restraints on patients, so don't pull on the tubes, ok?"

Jack dropped his hand, his face pink with embarrassment. "What's it for?" he muttered.

"It stabilizes your breathing," she said. "You have a bad case of pneumonia on top of your wound."

Jack closed his eyes. He could still feel the ice under his knees, the chilled handcuffs digging into his wrists. He shuddered, a low moan leaving him. Doris looked up, alarmed.

"Jack? Do you want another blanket?" she asked. He nodded, shivering harder. She returned a moment later with a large heated blanket and draped it over his legs and stomach.

"There we go," she said, arranging it over him carefully. "I'll be back in a little bit," she added. "Press the button if you start feeling more pain, hm?"

"Ok," Jack whispered, his throat aching. He slumped back against the pillow, his mind racing frantically. Jack swallowed dryly over the sour lump in his throat as Doris left the room. He looked up at the ceiling, worn out from his struggles.

Jack looked back down, a familiar weight around his neck. He breathed out, surprised to see his rosary securely around his neck once more. "Bobby," he murmured.

He ran his thumb over the top beads, his lips mumbling prayers as touched the necklace. He gradually drifted off to sleep; the painkillers in his system helping him sleep once more.

xx

Bobby eyed the clock, listening to it tick. He sighed and slumped back in his chair, his back paining him terribly from the hours he'd spent sitting there. Jack slept beside him, one hand clutching at his rosary, his chest rising and falling evenly.

He licked his dry lips and reached over, holding Jack's free hand. He ran his thumb along the knuckles, feeling the smooth skin. Bobby cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Y'know, Ma used to tell me that she felt lucky to have all us," he said, keeping his voice low and soothing. He huffed out a quiet laugh.

"I'd tell her that she was crazy, that no one deserved the shit I brought onto her. And I wanted to be good, even if it was just for her, I wanted to show her she was right, that I wasn't some lost cause. She never stopped tryin', Jackie, never, and I know you never stopped waitin' for me to show up, kick down that fuckin' door and bring you back."

He trailed off, his eyes stinging with unshed tears. Jack's monitor beeped steadily, reassuring Bobby. He swallowed and held tightly to Jack's hand.

"That last night, when we had that fight...I don't know what scared me so bad, I don't know why I ran," he said. "Oh...fuck, ok I do know, I do, and I'm sorry. You were right, Jackie, alright? You were right!"

Bobby ran one hand through his hair, the strands disheveled and unruly. "I just...I didn't wanna fuck you up, too," he said, his voice breaking for a moment. "I know I'm a fuck up, Jack. I'm never gonna be nothin' but that. And I can't change me; I don't even know where to start even if I did wanna change. You wanted me though, just like this, just me, nothin' else. Do you have any idea how fucking scary that is?"

"Since when are you scared of somethin'?" Jack whispered thinly.

Bobby lifted his head, his eyes wide. "Jack!" he nearly shouted. "You...Am I awake? Are you awake?"

Jack smiled slowly, a muted chuckle in his strained throat. "Shh," he cautioned, waving one hand sluggishly. "Stop yellin', or they'll kick you out."

Bobby stood up and leaned over the hospital bed, his hands shaking. "God...You're awake...Jack..." he managed to say.

"Yeah, m'awake," Jack murmured. "You look like shit, y'know that?"

Bobby laughed and leaned in, hugging him carefully. "Fuck you too, Jackie boy," he said, his head resting against Jack's.

Jack loosely wrapped one arm around Bobby, breathing him in as they hugged, taking in the smell of cigarettes, his leather jacket, and a hint of the deodorant he'd last used, the mixture so overwhelmingly familiar to him. He pressed his face to Bobby's neck, shaking as he hugged him.

"You came, I knew it, knew you would," he mumbled, tears building under his eyelids.

Bobby pulled back a bit, wiping at his eyes before the tears could escape. "Yeah," he said, curling his fingers around Jack's. "Course I did, you know that."

"I know," Jack whispered. He looked around the room. "Think you could grab some water or something?" he asked.

"Sure, just one sec," Bobby said. He grabbed the bottle he'd last used when Jerry had stopped by and filled it up with cold water from the sink. "You, uh need help with it?"

Jack shook his head. "I'm fine," he said, taking the bottle with one hand. He took small, tentative sips of the water, the pain in his throat lessening. He set the bottle down on the bedside table, his arm trembling from the effort.

Bobby sat on the edge of the bed. "Jack...How much did you hear?" he asked.

"Enough," Jack said, smiling tiredly. "You visited me before, didn't you?" He touched the rosary around his neck.

"Yeah, yeah I did," Bobby nodded. "I haven't left, Jack. Not since you were admitted."

"Bobby..." Jack said disapprovingly. "Mom woulda had your head for that."

"Well...I...Someone needed to watch over you," Bobby protested.

Jack patted the space beside him. "C'mere?" he asked. Bobby shifted closer, one hand cupping Jack's face. He eyed him, looking for signs that he was hurting.

Jack leaned into the touch. "You stayed..." he whispered.

Bobby rubbed his knuckles along Jack's cheek. "Always," he said. "So...So I guess we need to talk about...stuff, right?"

"We don't hafta right this minute," Jack said. He rested against Bobby. "Just...don't go right now, ok? Stay for awhile?" 

"M'not goin' nowhere," Bobby promised, his arm holding onto Jack possessively.

Jack traced the beads around his neck, Bobby's scent soothing him more than ever.

xx


	10. Chapter 10

Title: Gone 10/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

Jack slept on and off for the better part of the day, his fingers firmly entwined with Bobby's. The doctor stopped by and checked him over late in the afternoon. To Bobby's immense relief, Jack was healing up nicely.

"He's going to need a lot of bed rest, Mr. Mercer," the doctor told him in his monotone voice. "These are the prescriptions he'll need," he added, handing Bobby several slips of paper, the doctor's handwriting scrawled across them.

"Thanks," Bobby grunted. He pocketed the slips carefully and tucked them deep inside his jeans pocket. "When can I break him outta here?"

The doctor, whose name Bobby hadn't bothered to learn, looked over at Jack. "I'd say we can release him tomorrow morning at this rate," he said. "His bullet wound is healing, though I must stress to you, he needs to go slowly. No strenuous activities for at least two weeks."

Bobby felt some dull heat in his face at the doctor's words. "What the fuck are you implying there?" he snapped.

The doctor blinked rapidly. "Nothing, Mr. Mercer," he said. "Jack should avoid doing any heavy lifting or any activities that will diminish the recovery he's made so far. His body needs to rest and relax, that's all."

Bobby nodded, feeling terribly foolish. "Uh...right," he mumbled.

Jack opened his eyes, his fingers tightening around Bobby's. "Wanna go home..." he breathed.

Bobby moved closer to him, his embarrassment forgotten as he brushed Jack's messy hair back from his forehead. "Shh, you are goin'," he said. "Tomorrow, right?" he said, glancing back at the doctor, who promptly nodded. "See, he said so."

Jack's lips twitched slowly, his reactions somewhat sluggish from the meds. "Good," he said, gripping Bobby's hand tighter.

The doctor crossed the room to Jack's bed. "How're you feeling?" he asked.

"I'm fine," Jack replied, his eyes half open. He yawned and rested his hand on his chest, each exhale making his chest ache. "All things considered."

He smiled when he heard Bobby snort beside him. "Oh yeah, jus' fine," Bobby muttered.

"I'll be fine," Jack said, squeezing Bobby's fingers to hush him. Bobby gave him a dirty look but kept his mouth shut all the same. The doctor spoke with Jack, a general sense of unease in him whenever he locked gazes with Bobby. He left the room not long after, a sigh of relief passing his lips as he left.

"Bobby…" Jack said, his voice dragging tiredly.

Bobby brushed his thumb over Jack's knuckles. "M'not sorry," he said, shrugging.

Jack rolled his eyes. "Uh huh," he said. "Stop scarin' them all away. I'm not made of glass, y'know."

"I'm not scarin' them," Bobby protested. Jack huffed out a laugh, wincing at the pain that followed.

"Doris is the only nurse who isn't scared of you," he said.

Bobby pulled a face. "There's one that freaks me out," he said. "The fruity one, he's not scared."

"Would you listen to yourself?" Jack chided him. "The fruity one…" He shook his head.

"I could call him fairy, but you got dibs on that name," Bobby said.

"I hate that nickname," Jack grumbled under his breath. "Can't you call me something else?"

"Jackie Boy," Bobby said as he leaned back in his chair, his fingers itching for a cigarette.

Jack sighed, though he was smiling. "Fine, that'll do," he said. "I oughta make one up for you."

Bobby smirked at him. "Do it and I'll make you pay for it," he said.

Jack grinned and relaxed against his pillow. "You gonna tell me all the details of how you got to me?" he asked, struggling to see the lighter side of all that had happened to him.

"A battle recap, huh?" Bobby said, eyeing him. "Maybe that should wait till you're home."

"My warrior…Tell me the heroic details?" Jack muttered dryly.

Bobby chuckled and leaned his head back. "We looked around for people who knew Sweet, tried getting help from that fat fuck councilman, only his ass was blown out by Sweet not long after me an' you paid him a lil' visit," he said, keeping his voice low.

"Victor said something about you k-killing one of his guys," Jack said, his face pale.

Bobby smiled coldly. "Mhm, we had ourselves some fun that day," he said.

Jack winced and nodded, looking down at his rosary. He swallowed dryly, the unasked question hanging in the air between them. Bobby sighed and tilted his head.

"We had to, Jack. He knew info, we needed it and he sure as fuck wouldn't have told us otherwise," he said. "You don't get it, I know. I thought you woulda understood this by now."

"The gas thing…" Jack mumbled guiltily. Bobby clenched his teeth for a moment.

"Sometimes…Sometimes, stuff like that is the only thing that's gonna get through to guys like Sweet," he said. "His men, they weren't gonna tell me shit. What was I s'posed to do, huh? Let them have you? God only fuckin' knows what Sweet woulda done t' you!"

Jack flinched and looked away from Bobby, a blush standing out on his pale face. Bobby cracked the knuckles on one hand idly. "Yeah…that's what I thought," he said. "Did he touch you?"

Jack closed his eyes, tears stinging under his eyelids. "No…"

"Who tried t' carve you?" Bobby asked. Jack opened his eyes slowly, tears shining.

"He…he's Victor's nephew," he whispered. "I…He took care of me sometimes…"

"I see, real good care," Bobby frowned. Jack traced one of the shallow cuts near his collarbone, a tear running down his cheek.

"He didn't hurt me, not really," Jack said. "I think…he seemed kinda childlike…"

Bobby nodded, understanding. "Basically, we went back and forth, tryin' to find you until Jerry called one of his guys. We set up a phony deal, lured Sweet's slimy ass out and gave most of the money to his men. They sided with us an' well…you were there for the rest," he said.

Jack fiddled with his blankets, his chest hitching in memory. Bobby rested one of his hands over Jack's. "We don't gotta talk about all this if you don't wanna," he said.

Jack bit his lip, shrugging. He hissed at the sting of pain that followed in his shoulder from the movement. "We don't hafta talk about what you're avoidin' talkin' about," he said.

Bobby shifted in his chair uncomfortably. "Uh…Y'mean….before, right?"

Jack nodded. "The night you left," he said. Bobby wiped a hand over his mouth, a gesture of his nervousness.

"Right," he echoed. Jack glanced at him. "Bobby…" he started to say.

"I promised myself I would if you woke up," Bobby mumbled. He looked down at the floor, his palms sweating. "You…What do you remember?"

Jack touched the rosary around his neck again. "Everything," he said softly, licking his dry lips. "What're you so afraid of, huh? It's just me…Just Jack."

Bobby closed his eyes briefly. "Just Jack…You're more than just Jackie, to me," he said. "You always were."

"You ran out on me," Jack said, a moment of silence stretching between them.

"I know…" Bobby said, shame flooding him. "I had to, Jack, you know that."

"Do I?" Jack murmured. "I finally told you somethin'…and you ran, what the fuck was I supposed to think from that?"

Bobby looked at him, his eyes dark and miserable. "I…"

"You lied to me," Jack said, his voice straining. "Don't you shake your head at me," he added when Bobby began to do so. "Yeah, you did, I know you, I know when you're lyin', and I saw it in your eyes that night."

"Jack…You don't…I had to," Bobby said, his mouth dry, his voice fading.

"What did I ask you, Bobby?" Jack demanded then, his eyes bright with tears.

Bobby made a sound in his throat. "Jack…"

Jack let go of Bobby's hand, his stomach coiled uneasily from the tension. "What did I ask you?" he repeated.

"You asked me if I loved you the way you loved m-me," Bobby said, his voice catching.

Jack gripped the blankets with one hand, another tear spilling down his cheek. "And you said no, you looked me in the face an' lied," he said, his voice dulled. "Then you ran, like some fuckin' coward, you ran away. Left me…You swore that you'd stop doin' that!"

Bobby stood up fast, the chair scraping loudly over the tiled floor. "Stop!" he said. "Jus'…stop, Jack!"

"No!" Jack shouted, his heart monitor beeping wildly next to him. "Goddamn you, Bobby! You lied! You've lied to me for years!"

"It's not like that!" Bobby said sharply, his fists loosely clenched at his sides.

"It is! Why are you so scared to love me?!" Jack demanded. "Why'd you even bother comin' for me if this is all you're ever gonna give me?"

"I can't give you what you want, Jackie," Bobby said, tears in his own eyes. "I can't, I'll never be able to!"

"Then why? Why go through all this shit for nothing?!" Jack said, his chest paining him. He gripped the bedrail, his eyes wet and furious. "Get out! Get the fuck out of here! Run, Bobby, you goddamn coward!"

"No!" Bobby yelled. He ran a hand through his mussed hair, blinking back the tears that threatened to spill. "No, I'm not doin' that again. And lie back before you pass the fuck out!"

Jack pushed himself up to a sitting position, his arms shaking badly. "I mean it, Bobby, I'm so sick of this shit," he said, a tear streaking down his cheek. "Tell me the truth, just once, tell me..."

Bobby made a sound in his throat. He paced in agitation, unable to look at Jack right then. "I...You know I love you," he muttered. "I love you all; you guys are all I got."

"Look at me when you say that," Jack said, one hand clutching his rosary around his neck.

Bobby lifted his head, the look on Jack's face cutting through his defenses. "Why...Why can't this be enough?" he asked. "I...I love you all, my family."

"It'll never be enough," Jack said, his throat aching. "I'm not askin' for you to be someone else. You're all I ever wanted, Bobby. And you...you lie and run from me. What's so bad about me? Why can't you let yourself love me the way you want to?" 

"It's not...I can't...It's not right," Bobby said miserably.

"Who gives a shit?!" Jack shouted, his hand clutching at the necklace tightly. He ripped it off his neck and flung it at Bobby. "Get out; get the fuck out, now! I can't deal with your shit right now, you fucking lyin' hypocrite!" he all but screamed, shaking hard in his bed.

Bobby stared at him, his mouth working soundlessly. Jack had never been prone to anger fits the way he himself had. Jack in a rage was something to see. He clutched the necklace in his fist, a tear spilling down his cheek. "Jack..."

"Get out," Jack said, covering his face, his words muffled behind his hands.

Bobby took a step forward, his hand resting on Jack's leg. "Jackie..."

"Don't...Just go...Just leave me alone right now," Jack whispered, tears running down his cheeks. He turned his head, unwilling to cry in front of Bobby right then.

Bobby turned away. "I'm comin' back," he said, his voice uneven. "You...You need to rest..."

Jack ignored him as he left the room. He cradled his head in his arms, weeping silently.

xx


	11. Chapter 11

xx

Title: Gone 11/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

The man stood in the doorway of Jack's room for a long moment, hesitation clear on his face. Jack lay sleeping on his bed, his face strained and worn; tear tracks visible on his pale skin. The man sighed and stepped into the room, letting the door close with a muted thud behind him. He approached the bed, wiping his hands off on his denim jeans. Jack sighed in his sleep, a tear trickling down his cheek. 

The man swallowed dryly as he looked at Jack, guilt heavy in his dark eyes. Jack opened his eyes abruptly, as if he'd sensed someone in the room with him. "Bobby?" he whispered.

"Nah...It's...well shit, I don't even know if you remember me," the man said. He crossed the last few steps over to the bed. "I...I was in the basement with you."

Jack blinked rapidly, staring up at him. He gripped the blankets, fighting his urge to cringe away. "But Victor's dead!" he blurted out.

The man sighed once more. "Easy, kid," he said. "I ain't gonna hurt you. Victor's gone, I don't hafta answer to him."

Jack nodded shakily, his wide eyes fixed on the man's face, uncovered before him for the first time. "You...why are you..." he trailed off, licking his lips nervously.

"I wanted t' see for myself, make sure you were alright," the man said. He wiped a hand over his head, tugging his knit hat off. He sat in the chair close to the bed, his dark brown eyes amused.

"Aw, come off it, kid, I'm not that ugly, huh?" he asked, smiling crookedly. 

Jack shook his head immediately. "No, I just...I didn't think I'd see you again," he said. 

The man held his knit hat in his hands, his plain brown hair shining a bit in the dim room. "Me either," he said honestly. He rubbed his chin, drawing Jack's eye. 

"I'm...the doctors said I'm gonna be ok," Jack mumbled. "I'm s'posed to be going home tomorrow."

The man nodded. "I swear, that bullet took ten years offa my life," he said. "Happened so damn fast, and fuck, I thought you were dead. You looked dead."

Jack smiled humorlessly. "I don't remember much at that point," he said. "Maybe its better that I don't..." he looked away, his hand rising to touch his neck. He made a soft sound when his hand touched nothing but skin, no comforting weight of his necklace there for him.

"Yeah," the man said, his knee jumping a bit. "I thought your Bobby was gonna rip Victor's head clean off."

"He probably would've," Jack mumbled. "He's gone now..."

"Gone? Yeah, it's best that I'm not here when he gets back," the man said. "God only knows what he'll try an' do."

"He doesn't know you were the guard," Jack said dully. "I didn't tell him."

The man breathed out, nodding. "I jus'...I had to see that you were alive," he said. "I never wanted to hurt you, an' I'm sorry about the time I slapped you."

Jack looked back at him. "S'fine," he said. "I shoulda just kept my mouth shut."

"No, that don't make it ok," he said. "I shouldn't have been slappin' you around."

Jack closed his eyes briefly. "I'm alive," he said, his voice uneven. "I'm gonna be fine. You can go."

"I'm not askin' for some kinda forgiveness, Jack," the man said. "I did what I had to, my girl woulda been next after you, and she never did shit. I couldn't take that chance."

"I never did shit either," Jack said, angry tears in his eyes. "You kidnapped me, outta my fuckin' home. You might not have killed my mother, but another guy jus' like you did. So what the fuck do you want from me? Some kind of relief, is that it? You say you don't want my forgiveness? Good, cause you aren't gettin' any from me."

The man toyed with his hat for a moment. "If it was the other way around, an' someone like Victor had that kinda control over you, you'd see it from my side," he said quietly. 

Jack snorted softly. "Don't excuse it," he said. He gestured to his shoulder. "How many others have there been, huh? How many other guys ended up like me or worse?"

"Too many," the man muttered. "Fuck...Alright, I'm sorry, Jack. I did what I had to in a bad situation. I did what I could to help you, and I wish like hell it'd never happened to you. You're a good kid, I see that."

Jack wiped at his face with a clumsy hand. "You should go," he said. "Bobby might come back soon."

The man nodded and tugged his hat back on. "He's gonna take good care of you, right?" he said. Jack nodded silently. "Good, if he doesn't, you come an' find me, and I'll fuck him up for you."

Jack laughed a little. "How am I gonna find you?" he said. "I don't even know your name."

The man smiled slowly, the smile making his sharp features soften. "It's Daniel," he murmured. "Jeremiah knows Evan, Evan knows me. That's how."

Jack touched his bare neck again. "I...I'm grateful," he whispered. "You did help me, I know you did and you didn't have to..."

Daniel nodded. "I did what I could," he said. "You take care, Jack."

Jack offered him a weary smile. "I will," he said. Daniel touched Jack's forehead suddenly, his thumb pushing some of the messy hair back from his eyes. He dropped his hand just as fast and walked out of the room.

Jack watched him go, his stomach churning uneasily. He curled up as best he could on the bed, his hand rubbing along his neck as he drifted off to sleep.

xx

Bobby dropped Jack's duffel bag on the unmade bed and grabbed a few of the shirts from the end of the mattress, Jack's scent reaching him as he stuffed the clothing into the bag. His nose twitched, unshed tears prickling under his eyelids. He swallowed and grabbed a pair of socks that looked clean enough, tossing them into the bag along with a pair of jeans. 

"You bringin' him home now?" Angel's voice startled Bobby, breaking him out of his silent thoughts. 

"Yeah," Bobby muttered. He tugged the zipper closed and shouldered the bag. "Doctor's dischargin' him this morning." He walked out of the room.

"Bobby..." 

Bobby turned and looked at him, his shoulders tense. "What? I'm late, Angel, I gotta go," he said impatiently. 

"You stayin' after he's home, right?" Angel asked, crossing his arms loosely over his chest.

"I'm thinkin' about it," Bobby said, his eyes darkening with irritation. 

Angel shook his head. "You bolt, an' I'll drag you back by your hair, Bobby," he said.

"Fuck off," Bobby snapped. "I don't need you lecturin' me."

"I never thought I'd see the day when Bobby Mercer was afraid of something," Angel said softly. "What Jack's been through, no one should hafta. An' you runnin' off, you're gonna make it worse. So I won't let you do it."

"You gonna stop me?" Bobby asked with a glint of barely banked fury in his eyes. 

Angel nodded. "Yeah, I will," he said. "You an' Jack, this whole dancin', two steps forward, one step back shit that needs to stop."

Bobby clenched his teeth. "Me an'..." he blew out a frustrated breath.

"How 'bout you let me an' Jack deal with this on our own?" he said, picking his words carefully.

Angel eyed him. "Long as you aren't runnin' out the door, s'fine," he said. 

"You just keep that bitch of yours away from me and things'll be just fine," Bobby snarked. 

Angel rolled his eyes and walked away. Bobby shouldered the bag again and hurried down the stairs, already late for picking Jack up.

xx

Jack sat in his wheelchair, staring out the window of his room. He heard the door open behind him and tensed, overwhelmingly aware of Bobby's presence in the room. He closed his eyes and focused on the way his heart skipped a beat when he heard the footsteps approach him. 

"Jack," Bobby said, his voice echoing in the silent room. "I...brought some of your stuff."

Jack nodded and opened his eyes again. "Thanks," he mumbled, his voice strained.

Bobby set the bag down on the bed. "You, ah, need help getting dressed?" he asked. 

Jack shook his head. "No," he said flatly. "Just...go find the doctor? I want to go."

"Yeah..." Bobby said. He left the room, the tension heavy and suffocating Jack with each breath he took in. The door opened again, Doris entering the room, humming softly. 

"Alright," she said. "Let's get you dressed and ready. We're kicking you out now."

She smiled at him as she pushed the wheelchair over to the bedside. Jack glared at her. "I can dress myself," he said petulantly. 

"I don't doubt that, Jack," she said, helping him sit on the bed. "But with your shoulder, it's going to hurt using that arm. Don't be stubborn now, let me help you, hmm?"

He sighed and nodded. "I know," he said. "You're healing up very nicely," she said. "It won't be long before you'll be back to normal."

Jack bit the inside of his lip. Normal...He wasn't sure he'd ever been normal. He helped as much as he could, a hiss escaping when he stretched his arm too far at one point. "Fuck!"

"Easy," Doris chided him. "There's no need to rush."

"Sorry," he said, gritting his teeth. Once he was dressed, Jack leaned against his pillow, his fingers twitching. 

Doris checked him over. "You have the prescriptions, everything you need?" she asked.

Jack smiled slowly. "Yeah, I do, stop fussin' already," he said. "I'll be fine."

"I'm entitled to fuss," she said. "My mother always says that I get too attached to people and damn it if she wasn't right about that."

"Does your mom have little sayings?" Jack asked, watching her refold the clothes from Jack's duffel bag. 

She chuckled and nodded. "Lord, does she ever," she said. "Funny little lady that she is. The best one is 'it's better than a kick in the butt with a cold boot.'"

Jack laughed quietly, his shoulder aching when he did so. His laughter faded when he saw Bobby in the doorway. Bobby looked at him, his face carefully blank, and a look in his eyes that made Jack's throat close. 

Doris cleared her throat. "Ah, Bobby, you're just in time," she said. "Jack's dressed and ready to go."

Bobby blinked, startled when she had spoken. "Yeah...Doctor's comin'," he said.

Jack lowered his eyes. He couldn't look right at Bobby, not then. The tension was heavy in the room, a palatably thickness in the air. Doris zipped up Jack's duffel bag, the sound harsh in the silence around them. 

"Ok, so you're packed up," she said. "I'll say good bye now, seeing as I have a whole wing of people to get to this morning still."

She leaned in, hugging Jack carefully. "You take it easy, Jack, I mean it. If I hear you've been running around any time soon, I'll smack you upside the head with my mother's slipper," she teased.

Jack grinned a little. "Yes ma'am," he said, attempting a solemn expression. 

"Good," she said, ruffling his hair gently. "Bye, Jack."

Jack's smile faded when she walked away from the bed, her knowing eyes on Bobby's for a moment. The moment stretched on, seemingly silent conversation between the two. Bobby broke the eye contact and stepped into the room, Doris passing by him.

Jack gripped the blanket on his lap, twisting the material between his fingers. He felt small, weaker almost whenever Bobby's moods changed. Despite their height difference, Bobby's rage frightened him. 

Bobby sat in the chair, an uneasy silence between them until the doctor came in.

Jack tried his best not to fidget in the car, his nerves already uneasy from Bobby's continued near silence. Bobby lit a cigarette as he drove, blowing the cigarette smoke out the window. Jack reached over and flipped the switch, soft music playing from the old radio, waiting for the inevitable complaint from Bobby for daring to mess with the presets.

Bobby said nothing. He flicked the cigarette out the window, his eyes empty. Jack huddled closer to the door, a single tear running unnoticed down his cheek. 

xx


	12. Chapter 12

xx

Title: Gone 12/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

Jack spent most of the first three days sleeping, grateful to be in his own bed again. Bobby spoke little to him, his shoulders hunched when he did so. He picked up Jack's prescriptions and made his meals, his cooking passable enough for them. Angel stayed for the first few days, his leave almost up by then. He stopped in to see Jack on the last day.

Jack sat on his bed, staring out the window with a look of longing clear on his face. He jumped a little when Angel came into the room, mumbling an apology.

"I'm clearin' on out now, Jackie," Angel said simply.

"Oh..." Jack said. He leaned against the wall, his long legs drawn up to his chest. He rested his head on them, his eyes dull.

"You gonna say bye to me?" Angel asked after a moment of silence.

Jack tilted his head to glance at him. "Bye," he whispered. "Be safe."

Angel smiled thinly and took two quick steps into the room. He ruffled Jack's hair affectionately. "Always, Jackie Boy. Ain't none faster than me," he declared. "You gonna be alright till Bobby's home?"

Jack nodded, avoiding Angel's eyes. "M'fine," he said. "Just gonna lie down for awhile."

"Jerry went with him for groceries," Angel said. "Make sure he buys the healthy stuff an' all."

Jack rested his head to his knees again. "Right," he said.

Angel sighed lowly. "You gonna start speakin' proper again sometime?"

Jack closed his eyes. "What's to say?" he murmured. "I don't wanna talk about it anyway."

"You don't hafta, Jack. I just...You and Bobby..." Angel rubbed his hand over his smooth scalp. "Somethin' has to give."

Jack let out a bitter chuckle. "There is no me and Bobby."

"There could be," he said. "You both...you're both so stubborn."

"Leave it alone, man," Jack said tiredly. "There's nothin'...and maybe its better that way."

Angel started to speak before shaking his head. "Don't do nothin' stupid while I'm gone, y'hear?"

Jack nodded slowly. "Yeah, I hear," he echoed. "Bye Angel."

Angel heard the unspoken words and nodded as well. "Bye Jackie." He walked out of the room, sighing again as he went down the stairs.

Jack moved to his side, his eyes closing. He tugged the blanket over his body, drifting off to sleep again.

xx

Bobby pushed the grocery cart, a small scowl fixed on his face. He nudged the cart with his foot, grabbing a random box, Jerry's voice too close to his ear. "Back off, for fuck's sake," he snapped, edging away from him.

"Watch your mouth, Bobby," Jerry chided him as a woman with a small child scurried past them. "Good God, it's a wonder Mom took you anywhere with that mouth."

"St. Jeremiah, patron saint of adopted brothers and official curse catcher," Bobby muttered under his breath.

Jerry chuckled and walked leisurely beside him. "Yeah, you gonna be sorry some day when you smart off to the wrong guy," he said. "Which cereal you want?"

Bobby scanned the shelf quickly. "That one," he pointed to the colorful box nearby.

Jerry raised one eyebrow slowly. "Captain Crunch?" he said.

Bobby glared at him. "Jack likes it," he said, grabbing the box as he pushed the cart faster. He tossed it into the shopping cart, the squealing of the wheels grating on his already frayed nerves.

Jerry smiled and kept up, accustomed to Bobby's agitation in crowded stores. "I'm stoppin' by later. I haven't seen him since he got home," he said.

"He's breathin'," Bobby said, "Ain't that what counts?"

"Still not talkin' to each other?" Jerry guessed as he added several cans of soup to the cart.

"Brilliant deduction," Bobby said. He bit the inside of his cheek. "No...It's...it's fucked up, ok?"

"Y'all need to stop this...whatever the hell you wanna call it," Jerry said. "We almost lost Jack. I'd think by now you'd appreciate havin' him alive and home with you."

Bobby rolled his eyes and grabbed a box of microwave popcorn. "Don't lay that guilt trip on me," he growled. "I got him home, didn't I? I did everything I possibly could; he's alive and home cause of what we did. I can't make him talk, alright?"

"You're so damn stubborn, Bobby. You're makin' it so much harder than it has to be," Jerry said. "Tell him the truth. Tell him what you feel."

"I feel like chokin' you, does that count?" Bobby snapped. "M'not some fuckin' weak ass pussy, cryin' over his 'feelings'," he said with exaggerated air quotes. He spun the cart into the next aisle, his face flushed.

"Talkin' about all this doesn't make you weak," Jerry persisted. "And lovin' Jack doesn't either."

Bobby flinched, his eyes dark and cold. "Enough, just...stop for five goddamn minutes."

"Talk to him," Jerry said. He rested his hand on Bobby's shoulder warily. "Try it."

Bobby looked away, blowing a soft breath out. "He clams up around me," he mumbled, "Every time; I can't get nothin' out of him, 'cept for a yes or no."

"You gotta keep tryin', Bobby," Jerry said. "You never give up on anything else, so don't give up on Jack."

Bobby nodded silently. He swallowed, his throat working over the lump that was forming. Jerry let the subject drop as they continued down the aisle.

xx

Bobby climbed the stairs once the groceries were put away, a small frown on his face when he felt the cold breeze coming down the hallway. "Damn it, Angel," he grumbled. He went into Angel's room and closed the window, the thud echoing. He looked around the surprisingly neat room, a moment of sadness that Angel had left. They'd said their goodbyes that morning, knowing that Angel would be leaving while he was out.

He touched the wooden dresser, his eyes wandering around the various posters and decorations. He smiled slightly until he saw the picture of Sofi. He glared at the photo and walked past it, grateful to have her out of the house again. Bobby left the room, shutting the door with a muted squeak.

He rested his hand on the doorknob to Jack's room, hesitating. After a moment's pause, he turned it, opening the door. Jack lay on his bed, the sheets tangled around his body. Bobby walked across the carpet quietly, checking on him. Jack snuffled in his sleep, his skin still too pale to Bobby's critical eye. The blankets were here and there, leaving his chest bare and exposed. Bobby felt his breath catch as he looked at him, the bandage visible on Jack's shoulder.

Bobby blinked, wishing he could pretend that the fabric covered a new tattoo, rather than a bullet wound. He reached his hand out, his fingers hovering over the edge of the sheets. Jack sighed in his sleep, one hand tucked under his chin like always, the other gripping his pillow, his hair as messy as ever, falling in waves and flips over his forehead and neck.

Bobby swallowed dryly, his desires, everything he'd tried so damn hard to suppress, the restraint faded when he allowed himself close contact with Jack. He backed away, his skin prickling all over. He grabbed the blanket from the foot of the bed and unfolded it, draping the material over Jack's body.

Jack mumbled in his sleep, snuggling into the thicker blanket. Bobby smiled widely, an unrestrained smile. "Sleep Jackie," he whispered, letting his thumb run over the curve of Jack's cheek, touching the smooth skin for one surreal moment.

Jack relaxed under the touch, his breathing evening out. Bobby backed away reluctantly, his heart beating far too fast. He fled the room, his hands shaking when he stood in the hallway.

xx

Jack yawned softly when he awoke, rubbing at his eyes with his palms. He made his way out of the bed carefully, ignoring the pain in his shoulder when he moved. He dry swallowed one of the painkillers and walked to the bathroom. He made his way downstairs not long after, following the sounds coming from the kitchen.

"Bobby?" he said, his voice thick with sleep.

Bobby glanced at him, surprised to see him up. "Hey..." he said.

Jack surveyed the messy clutter on the counters, somewhat amused. He hunched his shoulders a bit, chilled in the early evening air. "You cookin'?"

Bobby grunted. "Yeah," he said. He peeled the potatoes quickly, his hand moving over the skins with ease. He looked back at Jack, his mouth opening a little. "Jesus...Jack, put some clothes on!" he sputtered.

Jack looked down at his long johns, shrugging with his good shoulder. "I was sleepin'," he said. "I just got up."

"I can see that," Bobby said dryly, color in his cheeks. "Go get dressed."

Jack blushed when he looked down at his lap. "Oh...uh, sorry," he mumbled, hurrying to cover his groin.

Bobby put the knife down, sighing. "No, sit there," he said. He grabbed a sweater from the dryer and tossed it at Jack, avoiding looking at him just then.

Jack tugged the sweater on, hissing under his breath at the flare of pain in his arm. The sweater fit comfortably, well worn from many washes. "Thanks..." he mumbled as he sat down on the nearest chair.

Bobby nodded and returned to the potatoes, cutting the peeled ones up. He worked in silence, overwhelmingly aware of Jack's presence behind him. Jack yawned widely and stood up, walking slowly to the fridge. Bobby paused in filling the pot on the stove.

"Sit down already," he said. "Whatever you want, just ask, Jackie."

"I'm thirsty," Jack murmured. Bobby poured him some juice and handed him the plastic cup, their fingers touching for a moment. Bobby met Jack's gaze, his breath catching. He looked away and put the juice container back.

Jack sipped the juice, watching Bobby prepare a simple dinner of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Jack tilted his head after some time, hearing faint snatches of a tune. He smiled, hearing Bobby hum under his breath. He rested his hand on the table, considering Angel's words. Perhaps he'd been too hard on Bobby, expecting him to open up too quickly.

He looked out the back door, letting his mind wander to Daniel...his guard. Jack sighed inwardly, rubbing his forehead. Why had he bothered to check on Jack? Did he check on everyone who lived through those ordeals? Or was he the only one to survive? Jack frowned, his stomach churning the more he thought about it. He pushed all thoughts of Daniel out of his mind for the moment.

Bobby set the plate of food down. "You up to eatin' heavy?" he asked.

Jack nodded. "Yeah," he said. He caught Bobby's hand with his, entwining their fingers.

Bobby froze immediately, his dark eyes on Jack's face. "Jack..."

Jack rubbed his thumb over Bobby's knuckle. "Say Grace with me?" he asked.

Bobby nodded and helped him stand, holding his hand properly. He spoke the words, reciting what Evelyn had taught him and as he did, he felt a sense of hope grow within him.

Jack gripped Bobby's hand, relaxing with his words. He closed his eyes, smiling.

xx


	13. Chapter 13

Title: Gone 13/?

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing, and mild slash

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

Bobby touched the flame of his lighter to the end of his cigarette, inhaling deeply when the tip glowed. He rubbed the side of his forehead tiredly. Jack had not spoken much to him since their dinner the night before. He glared up at the stars overhead, Jerry's voice carrying faintly throughout the house. He'd arrived the night before and stayed a day over, having shown up not long after they'd eaten and Bobby had felt the tentative peace thin out with his arrival. He and Jack had gone to the living room, leaving Bobby alone with the empty plates.

"Fuckin' bullshit," Bobby mumbled, flicking the tip of his cigarette. Holding Jack's hand in his own, saying the prayers that he'd learned so many years before...He sighed. For a brief moment, he'd felt some sense of peace, that Jack could forgive him for running the last time.

Bobby rested his arms on his knees, his cigarette hanging limply in one hand. Jack had clammed up once more after dinner, seemingly lost in his thoughts. Bobby had backed off, unwilling to force anything from Jack. He rubbed his forehead with two fingers, blinking back the prickle of unwanted tears. Jack had been his shadow when he was younger, and to be so damn far apart from him like this...

He inhaled again, blowing the thin stream of smoke back out slowly, listening to the sounds of the neighborhood around him. Bobby leaned back against the brick pillar on the front steps, shivering in the cold air. He eyed the snow with a grimace, realizing that he'd have to shovel the driveway again in the morning. He closed his eyes, the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow a mere whisper.

He blinked, startled when he heard the footsteps drawing closer. Bobby held still, his eyes narrowing as he looked around the front yard, his hand straying to the gun in his jeans waistband. He scanned the yard, waiting, watching. After several moments of silence, Bobby slowly stood up and pulled the gun from his jeans, the safety on.

"If someone's there, you'd best back up and fuck off 'fore you end up regretting it," Bobby said flatly, a gleam of malice in his eyes. A footstep at the far end made him smile, the faintest outline of a body by the telephone pole, hardly visible in the darkness. The person stepped forward, the nearest streetlamp illuminating them briefly, their face obscured by the light.

Bobby kept his arm steady, his thumb flicking the safety off, the click of it obscenely loud in the night. "No fuckin' joke. Leave now. I ain't got any problems addin' you to the count. Sweet's gone, so go find some other bitch to latch on t'."

The person stepped back, retreating into the shadows on the sidewalk. Bobby waited until the footsteps were gone before flicking the safety back on. He whirled around as a hand landed on his shoulder, Jerry's startled eyes widening further when Bobby pressed the gun to his neck on reflex.

"What the hell? Bobby, you put that away, God, if someone saw that and reported you," he started to say, flustered by the look on his face.

Bobby swore under his breath. "Shit, sorry Jerry," he said. He tucked the gun back in his jeans. "Don't be sneakin' up on me like that."

"I wasn't sneakin'," Jerry protested. "Have you lost your goddamn mind? Do I even wanna know why you're carryin'?"

"In case some of Sweet's bitches decide they wanna even the score," Bobby said. He glanced back at the empty sidewalk, frowning. "Can't put it past them, and there's no fuckin' way I'll let Jack outta my sight now."

Jerry hid a smile at the possessive sound in Bobby's voice. "Come on inside," he said. "Jack's insistin' on making popcorn."

Bobby groaned. "Why won't he jus' sit down and relax?" he grumbled as he went back inside with Jerry, locking the door securely behind him.

xx

Jack leaned against the grocery cart, sighing as he waited for Bobby to rejoin him. He ran one hand through his hair, letting it flop messily over his forehead. Bobby walked around the corner, a decent sized frozen turkey in his arms. "Sorry," he said. "Nearly lost my hat but I got one."

"What idiot decided to announce a ten minute only sale on turkeys?" Jack asked irritably.

"God only knows," Bobby said. He plunked the turkey down in the cart. "I'll stick 'im in the deep freezer till Christmas."

Jack pushed the cart carefully, his shoulder a dull ache. "Here, I'll push," Bobby said.

Jack glared at him. "I can do it," he said, tugging the cart closer.

"Alright, easy Cracker Jack," Bobby muttered. "Push the cart if you wanna so damn badly."

Jack bit the inside of his cheek to hold back his snappy response. He picked a few items off the shelves, following the list in his hand. Bobby hovered at his side, filling the cart slowly. "Slow down, Jack, you're movin' too fast," he said finally.

Jack gritted his teeth tightly through the rest of the shopping trip, staying silent until they reached the checkout line. He unloaded a few items before Bobby took the box from his hands. "Bobby, for the last time, I'm not a fucking weakling!" he hissed quietly.

"Will you stop bein' such a brat?" Bobby growled as he loaded the conveyor belt. "Not even three weeks outta the hospital and you're actin' like you're ready for a marathon."

"I'm not gonna break if you touch me," Jack said, his voice getting louder. "My arm isn't gonna fall off if I pick somethin' heavy up. Damn it, would you just stop babyin' me already!"

Bobby blinked rapidly, taken aback by Jack's anger. "The doctor said you shouldn't strain yourself," he said carefully, his neck warm when he realized how many people were staring.

"I don't give a fuck!" Jack shouted. "I'm not that fucking fragile! Stop treating me like I'm a kid!"

"You're sure as fuck actin' like one right now!" Bobby said, taking Jack by his good arm. "Go stand at the end and wait for me."

Jack yanked his arm loose and stalked away from Bobby, humiliated tears in his eyes. He banged the automatic door before it had a chance to open, trembling from the force of his sudden anger. "Fuck," he whispered, clutching his leather jacket closer, the wind chilling him to the bone as he walked out to the car.

He kicked at the ground in frustration, a rock tumbling away from him and skittering across the pavement. He stood beside Bobby's car, his body shaking. He coughed into his arm, realization sinking in. Bobby had the keys to the car. Jack groaned and leaned against the passenger side door, his eyes closed. "Shit..."

He fumbled with the cigarette package that he'd swiped from Bobby's jacket the other day, pulling a cigarette out. He lit it carefully, the cold making his shoulder ache worse. Jack leaned away from the wind, too stubborn to go back inside the grocery store.

He and Bobby...it was uneasy ground. He couldn't explain it, couldn't explain the rages that he felt, the urges that built up under his control. He wanted to grab Bobby and shake him, force him to say everything that he was holding back. Jack looked up at the grey clouds, blowing a puff of smoke out, his lungs burning. He coughed a little, forcing himself to finish the cigarette.

Bobby pushed the grocery cart across the parking lot, a scowl on his face. "You proud of that little tantrum?" he snapped when he got close enough to the car. "Jesus, Jack, if you ever pull that shit again, I swear t' God..."

"You'll what?" Jack drawled in a deliberately bratty voice. "Wash my mouth out? Spank me? Or lemme guess, a time out?"

"You fuckin' wish I would," Bobby snarled as he opened the trunk and began putting the bags inside. "Just shut up and get in the car."

"I can't," Jack said, gesturing to the door. "It's locked, Bobby."

Bobby glared at him. "Keep pushin', Jackie," he muttered as he opened the door for him.

Jack slid into the car, his hands shaking. He blew on them, wincing when Bobby slammed the door shut. He waited silently in the car until Bobby got in as well. Bobby glanced at him and then dug his gloves out of his coat wordlessly. He handed them to Jack and started the car.

Jack tugged the gloves on, smiling slightly. "Thanks," he mumbled.

Bobby grunted and flicked the radio station on, turning it to Jack's preferred station. Jack settled into the seat, rubbing his gloved hands together. After a long moment, Jack touched Bobby's arm. Bobby tensed, his eyes flitting over to Jack's briefly.

"I'm sorry," Jack offered. "Honest. I...I lose my temper too easily these days...and..."

"S'nothin'," Bobby said. He flicked his turn signal on, lazily cutting off another driver, the loud honk behind the car making his lips twitch with amusement. "You got a lot to learn about throwin' fits."

Jack let out a small laugh. "Yeah, guess I do," he said. "I never saw the point in flippin' out like you."

"Yeah, well you got seven fuckin' inches on me," Bobby said. He stopped at a red light and lit a cigarette. "Sometimes, you gotta be the loudest and angriest one in the group to stop bein' bullied."

"Seven inches..." Jack coughed softly, winking at Bobby.

Bobby rolled his eyes, inhaling quickly. "Uh huh, not where it matters, Jackie boy," he said. "You got the height. Try bein' one of the shortest guys in the class for a second and see how it feels. I never bullied no one, but no one picked one me after I broke the nose of the second grade bully. So I stood up and fought for everyone else who was too scared t'."

Jack moved his hand, loosely holding Bobby's fingers. "I heard all kinds of rumors when I got to school," he said. "All the teachers made me sit up in the front row so they could keep an eye on me; make sure I didn't follow you, or Angel."

"My illustrious schooling," Bobby snorted. He shrugged when Jack looked at him. "What? I dropped out, that doesn't make me stupid or somethin'."

Jack edged closer to him, letting Bobby's fingers go from his grip. "I never thought you were stupid," he said. "You remember how you used to read with me when I was younger, for my summer readin' lists?"

Bobby nodded. "Of course," he said. Jack inched over again, sighing contently when Bobby draped his arm over Jack's side, bringing him in close. "It was kinda nice."

Jack rested his head on Bobby's shoulder, breathing him in. "You're everythin' to me," he murmured.

Bobby sighed and held tighter to Jack. "I...I do love you, an' I want you to be ok, so that's why I'm probably henpeckin' you half to death," he said.

Jack closed his eyes when he saw the flakes of snow falling and melting on the windshield. "Why're you so afraid to say that to me?"

"I never been all that good about tellin' people stuff," Bobby said, flicking his cigarette out the window as he drove. "I could say it to you guys, and Ma, but more than that..."

"You don't hafta," Jack said. "I just...you lied to me. Me, Bobby, don't you know how much that hurt?"

Bobby stared out the windshield of his car for several minutes. "I never wanted to hurt you," he said finally. "I thought if I lied an' left, you'd be better off without someone like me."

"No," Jack said softly. "I wanted you. And you leavin'...it hurt so damn much."

"I left cause of how I felt about you," Bobby said. "I tried to stay away but I kept comin' back. Cause of you, I just...I tried so damn hard not to feel this way. And it didn't go away, got stronger the more I tried to push it all away."

"You never give a shit what anyone thinks about you normally," Jack countered, his hand resting on Bobby's sweater, feeling the hard muscle fluttering under his touch. "Lovin' me can't be that bad, can it?"

"No..." Bobby whispered sadly. "It's not your fault, Jackie. I fucked this up for us from day one, and look what happened." He clenched his teeth and turned the heat on for Jack.

Jack opened his eyes, peering up at Bobby. "It's not fucked up beyond repair, y'know," he said.

Bobby pulled the car off to the side of the road, his chest hitching. Jack nodded, meeting Bobby's eyes. "I...Jack..." Bobby stuttered, his voice fading.

Jack sat up, his hand moving up to press against Bobby's cheek, the stubble rustling against the worn leather of the gloves. Bobby stared at Jack, his eyes wide with uncertainty. Jack's lips quirked in a small smile as his thumb brushed over Bobby's cheek.

Bobby closed his eyes, the car silent but for the two of them breathing quietly. "Bobby," Jack whispered. "Look at me."

Bobby opened his eyes slowly and met Jack's. Jack nodded again and leaned in, their mouths meeting in a small, hesitant kiss. Jack felt dizzy, his heart pounding wildly as the kiss slowly deepened, Bobby's arms reaching and pulling him flush against his chest.

They parted reluctantly, resting their foreheads together. Jack licked his lower lip, breathing harder. "Bobby..."

Bobby looked at him and pulled him closer, capturing his lips in a fierce kiss, one that Jack went willingly into.

xx


	14. Chapter 14

xx

Title: Gone 14/15

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing, and mild slash

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

The kiss caught him by surprise, the intensity of it running through his body, down into his feet. Bobby gripped Jack's arms, his heart racing, the feel of Jack's slightly chapped lips pressing against his own...he took a shuddery breath as they parted again. Jack smiled and dipped his head to the side. Bobby took the moment to try and sort out just when he'd abandoned his beliefs and given in to what he wanted most.

Jack licked his lower lip, his eyes darting up to meet Bobby's intense gaze. "Don't," he said.

"Don't what?" Bobby croaked. His palms tingled and the urges, God, the urges he had.

"You got that look in your eyes, like you wanna run," Jack said. "Just don't...let it happen."

Bobby swallowed dryly. "I shouldn't have," he whispered. "God, I swore I never would and...And I did, and..."

"And we did," Jack said. "Wasn't so scary, was it?"

Bobby glared half heartedly at him. "Wiseass," he muttered. "Jack, I..."

Jack shook his head. "No," he said softly. He leaned in, pressing a kiss to Bobby's neck, breathing his scent in. "Stop thinkin', you're gonna end up tweaking."

Bobby bit down on the inside of his cheek, a shiver coursing through him at the feel of Jack's lips brushing over his neck. "We shouldn't..." he tried to say. Jack nipped his skin, his gloved hand sliding around Bobby's chest, the movement bringing them tightly together. Bobby groaned and pushed his hand through Jack's hair, tilting his head and meeting his lips in a fierce kiss.

Jack opened his mouth to the kiss, his eyes closing in happiness. Bobby held him close, the kisses growing more heated. When they parted, Bobby ran a shaky hand over Jack's lips. Jack kissed his palm, his eyes on Bobby's. "Home," he whispered, "One step at a time, Bobby."

Bobby nodded silently. The fears he had, they fell away slowly, thin layers peeled back. He blinked and fought back the instinctive urge that he had to push Jack away from him. He'd given in enough, tasted what he shouldn't have and the knowledge burned through him. Jack gave him a lopsided smile.

"It's ok," he said with a sage understanding of the fear in Bobby's eyes. "It's not wrong."

Bobby touched Jack's neck, feeling the smooth skin that was chilled from the cold. "Ma said that," he mumbled.

"She knew?" Jack blinked rapidly, startled by that.

Bobby nodded. "I came home drunk, ramblin' and confessing. I told her everything."

"So if she knew, and she was ok with it, why fight what you want?" Jack reasoned.

Bobby sighed and rubbed his thumb over the edge of Jack's neck, close to his collarbone. He wanted to mark him, bite down hard enough to leave a vivid bruise, his possessive side bleeding through. "I dunno," he said. "I just...never thought I could have what I wanted like that."

Jack tilted his head to the side, leaning into Bobby's touch. "Stop thinkin' so much then, Bobby," he whispered.

Bobby pulled his hand back and reached under his sweater, his open coat sliding back. He lifted his hand, Jack's rosary in his palm. Jack made a sound in his throat, his eyes on Bobby. "You...kept it."

"Of course I did," Bobby said gruffly. He held it out. "It's yours, Jackie. I held onto it in case you wanted it back."

Jack rested his hand over Bobby's, the familiar beads clinking together in his fingers. "Put it on me?"

Bobby undid the clasp and arranged the necklace around his neck, his mouth close, so close to Jack's skin. Jack rested his head to Bobby's shoulder, his arm snaking up to hold him there. "Thanks," he said quietly. "Take me home?"

Bobby pressed the lightest kiss to his neck and nodded. "Yeah," he said. He shifted back from Jack and started the car, his face flushed. He rubbed one hand over the fogged up windshield, grumbling. "Damn it."

Jack rolled his window down a little, letting some of the bitter cold winter air into the car. He chuckled and said nothing when Bobby looked at him, his fingers tracing the beads, one by one.

xx

It took the better part of two days for Bobby to look Jack in the eye after they got home from the grocery trip, nearly forty-eight hours until he walked past Jack in the kitchen, saw him stretching to reach for a box on the top shelf and before he could stop himself, he'd wrapped his arm around Jack's waist and tugged him close, stealing a kiss.

The very act left him feeling dizzy and the craving for more was terribly strong. Jack said nothing out of the ordinary, he let the kisses occur when they did, giving Bobby the chance to work through his urges. Each one gave him hope, something he held dearly to.

Jack sighed as he shrugged his coat on. It wasn't that he'd been expecting a huge change, not overnight. They were still dancing it seemed; only now Bobby would slip every so often, his urges too strong to be denied. He ran a hand through his carefully arranged hair and poked his head into the living room. "I'm goin' to the store, you want anything?"

Bobby looked up from the couch, his eyes wandering over Jack's face slowly. "Nah," he said. "You want company?"

"I don't need you to hold my hand for everything," Jack said evenly.

Bobby's lips quirked in an almost smile. He looked away from Jack, the words on his tongue fading. "If you aren't back in thirty minutes, I'm comin' for you."

Jack ignored the urge to roll his eyes. "Yeah," he said. "See you." And with that, he left, tugging Bobby's gloves on as he walked out the front door. He breathed out, his breath fogging in front of him. He shivered and stuffed his gloved hands in his coat pockets as he walked across the snow covered lawn.

A figure stepped away from the telephone pole, his long coat bundled around his body. Jack approached the sidewalk warily, his unease growing. He glanced back at the house, wondering how long it would take Bobby to get to him if someone opened fire then.

"Ease up, Jack," the voice said, muffled from the coat hood.

Jack froze, the voice washing over him in an icy wave of dread. He closed his eyes for a long moment, inhaling and exhaling shakily. "No..."

The hood was pulled back, a pair of eyes he would have recognized anywhere now visible to him. "Daniel..." Jack whispered. He gave the house a second glance, his heart beating hard and fast. "You...You need to go, you shouldn't be here, man."

Daniel looked at the house and nodded, "You goin' somewhere without your bodyguard, Jack?"

Jack glared at him. "Fuck off," he said reflexively. "Bobby won't hesitate y'know, he doesn't ask, he just acts."

"C'mon kid, I ain't gonna hurt you. Shit, don't you know that by now?" Daniel said irritably.

Jack's boots crunched over the snow as he walked to the somewhat cleared path that Daniel stood on. "At least get the hell out of his sight," he muttered, hurrying past the house.

Daniel followed him silently, listening intently while they walked. Jack slowed down once they were several houses away, shivering in the cold air. "Why're you here?" he asked.

"I don't really know," Daniel looked at Jack and then away, clearing his throat a little.

"You said...In the hospital," Jack struggled to find the right words. He blew out a breath and gestured to himself. "I'm fine, y'can see that. You said you wanted to be sure that I'm ok. Well I am ok. Me an' Bobby...we're fine."

Daniel said nothing and kept walking, his heavy black boots crunching through the thick snow. Jack growled under his breath and followed him. "Was I the first?" he asked.

Daniel stopped and looked at Jack, nearly eye to eye with him, a mere inch difference in their height. "First?" he echoed.

"Yeah, was I the first to live through that ordeal? You said there were others, other guys like me before," Jack fidgeted with his pockets, his nerves rattled.

"Lots," Daniel said. "Most didn't wind up as lucky as you. Some were traded to other guys, some just killed."

"Lucky me," Jack whispered bitterly. Daniel rubbed a gloved hand over his own head, his hat shifting back over his messy brown hair.

"Yeah, I'd say you were lucky," he shrugged slowly. "Victor liked you, man. He wanted t' keep you for himself. He never kept too many boys, jus' the young girls, but you, yeah he wanted you. And if that would've driven your Bobby over the edge, better for him then."

Jack shuddered, repulsed by the idea. "God..."

"Mhm, so yeah Jackie, you're one of the lucky ones," Daniel said. He kicked at the hard ground with the tip of his boot. "Where you off to?"

Jack blinked and looked at the ground, his stomach fluttering nervously. "Store," he said. "I need cigarettes."

Daniel nodded. He started walking again, Jack falling into step beside him. "Am I freakin' you out, kid?" he asked finally. Jack shook his head and stuffed his hands deeper in his pockets.

"I don't get it...You're here, you've been hangin' around the area, haven't you?" Jack hunched his shoulders. "Bobby said some guy was near the house the other night."

Daniel had the good sense to look chagrined. "Yeah, it was me," he said. "I came by the area, wanted to make sure everything was fine."

"You can't do that, man. He'll kill you, you don't even know," Jack sighed. "Bobby won't care if you never hurt me, he'll put a bullet in you outta spite."

"I ain't afraid of Bobby Mercer, jus' so it's clear," Daniel said flatly.

"You should be," Jack countered. "Those rumors, none of them are bullshit. Some exaggeration, sure, but Bobby likes it when people are scared of him."

Daniel reached out and gripped Jack's shoulder, stopping him. Jack held very still, his breath catching in his throat. Daniel swallowed hard, a look of confused misery on his face. "Jack..."

Jack raised his eyes, looking at Daniel closely. "What?"

"I...N-Nothin'," he said, dropping his hand quickly.

"Must be somethin'," Jack said. Daniel ran a hand over his mouth, his breathing uneven.

"I gotta go," he mumbled. A thought occurred to Jack, though he pushed it away hurriedly.

"Wait..."

Daniel paused, his dark eyes flitting over Jack's face, as if he was memorizing him. "You're right," he said. "I shouldn't be here, I never shoulda..."

Jack stepped forward, touching Daniel's hand, their gloves brushing together. "You know about me, about my...thing with Bobby. You know he'd never hurt me."

"Do I?" Daniel said. "I've seen shit, Jackie. What's it gonna take before he raises a hand t' you? You even sure he wants what you want?"

Jack backed away from him. "Fuck you!" he hissed. "You don't know shit about me. Look, jus' stop comin' around. I don't need this; I don't even wanna remember what I've been through."

"I...I'm sorry, Jack. I felt, shit I still feel this obligation, y'know, make sure you're safe an' all. You...You be careful and I'll see you around, a 'right?"

Jack felt a bolt of fear run through him at the sound of rapid footsteps coming up behind them. "Fuck..."

Daniel turned to the side, recognition in his eyes. Jack spun around, his eyes wide.

"Bobby..."

xx


	15. Chapter 15

Title: Gone 15/15

Author: veiledndarkness

Pairing: Future Bobby/Jack

Rating: R for violence, swearing, and mild slash

Disclaimer: Characters not mine, no harm intended.

Summary: AU. Jack's been taken, a pawn of Victor Sweet's game.

xx

"Bobby..."

Jack stared at him, his blue eyes wide with fear. Bobby stood only inches away from Jack, a look of pure fury on his face. Jack swallowed nervously, his palms damp.

"Bobby, I...This..." he stuttered, words failing him.

Bobby turned his head and looked at Jack, puffs of breath visible in the cold air. "Get back to the house," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument.

"No...Bobby, this is, he's not gonna hurt me," Jack licked his lips, his eyes darting to Daniel's, pleading with him silently to leave. "This is, his name's Daniel."

Daniel eyed Bobby, an expression of calm indifference on his face. "Bobby Mercer, nice t' see you up close again. You 'member me? I was there, on the ice," he said.

Bobby's heavy boots crunched over the snow. "On the ice, you were the fucker with the gun t' my Jack's head?" he demanded.

Jack stepped between them, his hands resting on Bobby's shoulders. "He was my guard," he explained hurriedly. "In...In the basement, he took care of me; he never hurt me, Bobby."

Daniel nodded. "S'right," he said. "I took care of your boy; made sure he ate an' shit."

Bobby glared at him, anger sparking in his dark eyes. "You shut your fuckin' mouth righ' now!" he growled. "You, you're no better, you kidnapped him, I fucking watched you drag him across the lawn. Don't you stand there, tellin' me you 'took care of him'," he spat. "You fuckers woulda killed him or God knows what the fuck else!"

"Bobby, please..." Jack fretted. He gripped Bobby's shoulders. "We're outside, man, someone could call the cops or shit...Come on, he isn't worth this."

Daniel made a sound behind Jack, a stifled noise that made Jack's heart ache for him. Bobby shook his head. "No, no fucking way is this piece of shit walkin' outta here!"

Jack rubbed the side of his head wearily. "Bobby, you don't understand," he said. "He never hurt me, he kept me fed, and he gave me blankets! Are you hearin' me?!"

"Oh well that changes everything," Bobby rolled his eyes. "He didn't let you go, did he? Huh? Answer me that, Jackie! Did he let you go; did he make sure you got home safe?"

"He couldn't!" Jack shouted. "Damn it, Bobby!"

Bobby curled his lip at Daniel, his hands loosely clenched in fists. "Why? Why the fuck not?"

"Victor was blackmailing him, he did it to make sure Daniel wouldn't turn on him," Jack argued.

Daniel shifted on his feet, a guilty look creeping over his face. "Not entirely," he mumbled.

Jack spun around, staring at him in disbelief. "What?" he croaked.

Bobby snorted. "I fucking knew it!"

Daniel looked down at the snowy ground, his dark eyes sad. "I lied," he admitted. "I...Victor told me to guard you. I did it cause that's what I do, I was one of his guards. I lied. He never threatened me or my girlfriend."

Jack's throat worked furiously. "You...I thought..."

Bobby chuckled bitterly. "Yeah, I fuckin' knew it. I know what you want, Danny-boy, and I know what you're thinkin'. You wanted to help him, right? Be the hero and find a way to let him go somehow, and gee wouldn't Jackie be awfully thankful if you did?"

"You shut the fuck up!" Daniel snapped. He glared at Bobby and ran a hand through his messy brown hair, knocking his cap loose. "You don't know shit, Mercer."

"Oh but I do!" Bobby shouted. "I see it in your eyes. You need to get the fuck out of my sight, right now before I blow your mother fuckin' head off."

"Bobby..." Jack tried to catch his attention, keeping himself between the two of them.

Daniel leaned forward, one gloved hand squeezing Jack's good shoulder. "I'm goin'," he murmured in Jack's ear, his breath tickling the small hairs on the back of his neck. Jack shivered, his head tilting to the side.

Bobby's eyes flashed and he let out a sound of rage. He pulled Jack over to the side in one quick movement, his fist catching Daniel off guard. Daniel staggered back, the two of them dropping to the snow covered ground.

"Fuck!" Jack swore as he approached them warily. Daniel grunted at a particularly vicious punch to his ribs. He flipped them over, dodging Bobby's fist again. Jack tugged Bobby's arm, his breath catching at the look of raw fury in Bobby's eyes.

"Jack, stay the hell outta this!" Bobby snapped.

"No! No, fuck, he won't hurt me, get off him!" Jack yelled, tugging at Bobby's arm again. He made a pained sound, his shoulder throbbing dully with pain. "Stop, this is fucking crazy!"

Daniel kicked his leg up hard, kneeing Bobby in the stomach. He scrambled away from him and stood up, breathing hard. "Jesus, you outta ya fuckin' mind?" he huffed, wiping blood from his mouth.

Bobby pushed himself up from the snow, coughing a little. Daniel gestured to Jack. "He's yours man, you got him, you got him, no one else does, so calm the fuck down!" he shouted.

Bobby stood upright, his hand pulling the gun from the waistband of his jeans. He flicked the safety off and aimed it at Daniel, his hand steady. "You been hidin' around my house, lookin' for him. That shit stops now. You walk outta here, an' never fuckin' look back, clear?"

Jack felt his blood run cold when Bobby pulled the gun out. "Bobby...Jesus, fuck, don't do this," he whispered, horrified.

Daniel breathed out, his dark eyes on Bobby. "He's yours, man, I got that. S'all he talked about in the basement, about how you were comin' for him. He never fucking doubted for one minute."

Bobby glanced at Jack, some of his fury ebbing a little. "Get the fuck outta here," he said to Daniel. "If I even think I see you around, you better hope I'm not carryin'. Don't check on him, don't even think about him. I know what you want, I see it in your eyes, and you ain't gettin' it, ever."

Jack approached Bobby cautiously. "Come on...come on, I wanna go home, Bobby," he said, resting one hand on Bobby's arm. "Please..."

Bobby kept his eyes on Daniel. "Leave now before I regret not shootin' you on the ice."

Daniel looked over at Jack, nodding to him. Jack felt his stomach twist for Daniel, the misery in his face telling him everything he suspected. "I...I'm sorry," Jack mumbled in his direction.

"You don't gotta be sorry, Jackie," Daniel said softly. He gestured to Bobby. "You go on with him, be safe, y'hear?"

Jack nodded, shivering in the cold wind. "You too," he offered.

Bobby gritted his teeth. "Go."

Daniel looked at Jack once more and then turned away, his boots crunching through the snow. Bobby kept his gun trained on him as he walked away, one arm wrapping tightly around Jack's waist. Jack stared at the ground, guilty tears prickling under his eyelids.

"You wanted t' go to the store?" Bobby said gruffly while flicking the safety back on.

"Y-Yeah," Jack breathed, flinching when Bobby clasped a hand to his side.

Bobby eyed Jack, the rage on his face slowly fading. "What?"

"N-Nothing..." Jack muttered. He looked to the ground to hide the tears in his eyes. "You...You didn't hafta do all that, y'know."

"Yeah, I did," Bobby pointed to the direction that Daniel had left in, "He kidnapped you, Jack. He's no good guy, ok? He wanted you, and he sure as fuck isn't getting you."

Jack crossed his arms over his chest. "I...I don't want him," he said, shaking slightly. "Home...Take me home."

Bobby nodded and kept a tight grip on Jack as they walked. Once home, Bobby settled Jack on the couch with one of Evelyn's thick blankets, covering his shaking body well.

xx

Jack spent much of the evening curled up on the couch under Bobby's watchful gaze. He said little, his thoughts mainly on everything that had happened. Daniel...He'd lied to Jack, made him believe that he was following Victor's orders only because Victor had threatened to go after his girlfriend.

Jack chewed on his fingernail anxiously. Bobby flicked through the television channels, his gaze landing on Jack every so often. Jack edged closer to him, tugging the blanket with him.

Bobby smiled faintly and draped his arm around Jack, tugging him closer. Jack sighed and rested his head to Bobby's chest, the echo of his heartbeat soothing for him. Bobby ran his fingers through Jack's hair, the motion lulling Jack into a sleepy daze.

"Would you really have gone off with that guy?" Bobby murmured.

Jack lifted his head and peered at Bobby. "How can you even ask that?"

Bobby shrugged silently. It occurred to Jack, a brief glimpse of understanding. "You…You were jealous?"

"No," Bobby said quickly. Jack sat up more, everything sliding into place faster.

"You were," Jack nodded. Bobby shook his head hurriedly. "No, no, where'd you get a dumb fuckin' idea like that?" he protested with a weak smile.

Jack blinked slowly. "That's why…God, Bobby, you almost killed him, you coulda just told me how you felt."

"Almost," Bobby snorted. "I woulda, had a clean shot too," he looked away from Jack, a hint of color in his cheeks.

"Daniel wasn't gonna hurt me. He was worried about me, about…well…" Jack trailed off.

"Yeah, I don't think I need to tell you what he wanted," Bobby all but growled.

"I…No, he said so himself. He didn't…he said he didn't…" Jack blushed, remembering the first days in the basement. He'd offered to do whatever it took to get him out of there, only to have Daniel freak out at the mere mention.

"So?" Bobby put the remote control down. "Y' don't see me advertisin' what I do when the door closes."

Jack's hand crept up to his necklace, his fingers trailing over the beads. "Are you ashamed?"

"No!" Bobby snapped. He glanced at Jack. "I got nothin' to apologize for. I'm…I'm me, this is me, I jus' don't see why I should have to scream it out. An' maybe that guy jus' ain't ready to face who he is. But you made him see a side of himself, that's why he's sniffin' around the house."

Jack shifted closer to Bobby again. "You do want this, right?" he couldn't help but ask. He needed some form of comfort, some reassurance.

Bobby bit the inside of his cheek. "Of course," he said. "Jack…Look, I know this was…well with everything that happened an' all…" he sighed, "C'mere."

Jack leaned in, breathing in Bobby's familiar scent. Bobby cupped Jack's cheek, his roughened thumb brushing over Jack's cheekbone. "I'm not good at talkin' about feelings an' shit," he murmured. "But I do love you, and I don't say it enough, an' I'll try. Make sure you know it. I wouldn't have bothered lookin' for you if I didn't love you."

Jack tilted his head and pressed a kiss to Bobby's lips. Bobby pulled Jack in closer and deepened the kiss, his arm tugging Jack onto his lap. Jack closed his eyes, warm sparks traveling through him. "Bobby…" he whispered thickly. "Admit it."

"Admit what?" Bobby mumbled, drawing Jack in for another heated kiss.

"You were jealous," Jack grinned when they parted.

"Maybe a little," Bobby admitted grudgingly. He held Jack tightly to him, his fingers wrapped with Jack's. He closed his eyes and let Jack run his hand through his hair, ruffling the careful combed strands.

Jack smiled widely and kissed him again, his other hand entwining with Bobby's. "Knew it."

"Shut up," Bobby growled as he kissed Jack, a smile curving his own lips.

xx

Bobby draped the blanket over Jack's body on the bed, listening to the sound of his soft breaths in the still of the night. He paused by the open window, his eyes on the snow covered front lawn. He could see it, see the blood on the snow by the lamp post, bullets flying by, whizzing past him as Jack's screams filled his ears.

He swallowed uneasily and looked back to the bed, Jack's messy hair sticking up in waves and curls over the pillow, his chest rising and falling with each inhale and exhale.

Bobby closed the window and ruthlessly shoved his nightmares to one side. He'd been plagued by them since the day of the kidnapping, when they'd taken Jack from him. He could see how things could have been, if Victor Sweet hadn't changed his plans. Bobby bit back a shudder, his chest clenching at the thought.

Jack lifted his head from the pillow and looked up at him, blinking sleepily. "Bobby?" he croaked. "I'm cold…come lie down."

Bobby tugged the curtains shut, resolutely ignoring the horrific images in his mind. Jack sighed as Bobby curled up to him on the narrow bed and draped his body over Bobby's, seeking his warmth. Bobby brushed a kiss over Jack's forehead, murmuring his words of love to him.

His Jack…

xx

And this is it, Gone is complete. Thank you to everyone who's reviewed.


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